


Nymph of the Nine Circles - Book Zero: Crimson Honeymoon

by Volitionn_Arts



Series: Nymph of the Nine Circles [2]
Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: AU, Origin Story, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:55:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26376865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Volitionn_Arts/pseuds/Volitionn_Arts
Summary: A young man manifests in the Pentagram, with no clear recollection of his past, or reason to believe he has one. Immediately, he is confronted with a choice. Freedom or safety.Join him as he makes that choice in Book One of Nymph of the Nine Circles.
Series: Nymph of the Nine Circles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1916956
Kudos: 4





	1. Learning to Breathe

I go still, my palm pressing earnestly against the well of my chest as my eyes begin to shimmer, seeming to expand as they well up with salty, stinging tears. I give an attempt at a sniffle, only managing a pitiful wheeze. There are no sobs, no wails, no heaves of my chest to accompany the rush of tears that begins to flow steadily over my cheeks and around my lips to my chin. My free hand hangs idly at my side, making no attempt to move up and wipe away the burning beads of pain and resignation. I stagger from pole to pole, barely able to keep my balance. I eventually find myself leaning up against a wall, dragging my feet along one step at a time as my bare shoulder scrapes against the rough brick, my skin becoming raw and beginning to sting intensely. I continue for a few steps before reaching the end of the wall. Tears still obscuring my vision, I continue walking and fall into an alley with an inaudible cry. A series of graceless crashes and thuds follows as I fall against a few steel garbage bins, knocking them over and spilling some of the trash in the process. I blink the tears out of my eyes, wiping my cheeks once more as I begin to get my feet back underneath me.

Just as I start to push myself back up to my feet, a rough and low sound shocks me back onto my rear. I look towards the boulevard just in time to see the front of a cart peek around the corner of the alley. Soon, a pair of hands appear, followed by the large figure pushing the cart along. His body was imposing, with shoulders almost as bulky as the muscles lining his back are lean. Most strikingly, two lines of ridges rest on either side of his spine all the way down to the end of his long, reptilian tail. I twitch, my eyes slowly tracing the length of his tail and body, my gaze coming to a halt on his head. His snout was long and narrow, with sharp teeth glinting in the blood red light. I'm looking at an alligator. And the alligator's eyes, as if on queue, fix undeniably on me. 

My body goes stiff as the bulky figure drops a chunk of flesh into his cart before taking a step towards me, leaving the viscera bin behind. His fierce orange eyes sweep over my quivering figure, leaving behind a feeling of intrusion on the skin they burn their gaze into. Finally, those orbs of orange meet my wide eyes.

"Are you bleeding?" the gator asks in a thunderous, gravelly voice. I manage to shake my head, my body making half-hearted attempts to crawl backwards, ignoring the fact that my back had become quite well-acquainted with the concrete wall behind me. He takes another step forward, lowering himself over me before dragging a hand from my shoulder down to the center of my chest. "Hm... nothing that I can see... how'd a quivering thing like you make it through yesterday?" he muses, his eyes meet mine again. I flinch violently as his hand settles just below my collarbones. "Care to explain?" he asks with a mix of curiosity and amusement. I reflexively try to take in a breath, but my chest again refuses to rise, spasming and tensing instead. His eyes snap down to fix on my chest, their intense stare morphing into something gentler. 

"Oh... Perhaps I spoke too soon..."

His brow furrows, and his hand moves to rest against the right side of my ribs, his other hand coming up to rest on the opposite side. I make another attempt at inhaling, and his pupils dilate visibly in slight shock, his eyes widening as realization spreads over his face. "Fuck's sake... Your chest is all knotted up..." he says, looking back up to my eyes. His gaze remains firm until they soften suddenly, startling me into releasing a thin and breathy whimper.

"You weren't here yesterday, were you?" he asks in a knowing, assuming tone.

I nod hesitantly, his hands slowly retreating from my quivering sides as he stays hunched over in front of me.

"Fuck me... no one catches a break down here, do they?" he chuckles dryly, releasing a sigh. His eyes quickly scan me from my shoulders to my restless legs, before returning their focus to my own teary orbs. "Can you stand up on your own? If not, it's my job to collect you. So get up, or I’m gonna move you my way. I can’t promise it’ll be as comfortable as walking." I strain to get up, my knees quaking visibly. In spite of their intense shaking, I somehow remain standing. I look up at the gator, nodding as my eye twitches from the pain still building in my chest. “I-I think I can stand,” I say, letting out what I had planned to be a weak chuckle.

"Ptchh... Let's see you walk," he commands, moving back to his cart and waiting for me to join him with a skeptical look on his face. I furrow my brow and step forward, planting my foot firmly against the asphalt and feeling my knee immediately give way. My leg bends awkwardly to the side, and I begin to fall forward, somehow managing to keep myself from completely falling over for a few more steps. I brace for impact, gritting my teeth as I crash face first into the rough scales of the alligator.

"Yep, that's about what I figured..." 

I try to apologize, only wheezes and coughs making it past my blue lips. I clench my eyes shut in embarrassment and frustration, just in time to feel an arm hook around my waist. The gator grunts and lifts me up over his shoulder, hanging my upper body down his back while his hand locks around my waist to prevent me from falling. His scales dig into my abdomen and chest, making the position anything but comfortable. At least I didn't have to walk.

"Wh-where are we going?" I ask, grimacing through the pain as my chest forces out the coarse sound.

"You're gonna have to figure that shit out for yourself," he replies bluntly. “I'm obligated to at least give you a chance, but don't think I'm being nice here. You're lucky I'm not tearing meat off your bones." He begins walking, turning down a few surface streets before emerging onto a busy Parkway. The sudden urban symphony overwhelms my ears as he lifts me off his shoulder and plops me against a wall, my legs barely managing to keep me upright, and quickly beginning to fail.

"Name's Dredge. You need anything from me, come fucking ask for it, aight? Here's your chance.. Don't fuckin waste it... I coulda saved a meals' worth if I had just fuckin' chomped ya when I saw you quiverin’ in that alley. Don't make me have to scoop what's left of you off the street. You hearin me, bird chest?"

I can only manage a light nod, before forcing out a painful, "Th-thank you, Dredge..."

He pauses, having turned to take his leave. "Don't thank me. Give your thanks to whatever higher power made me take pity on your sorry ass. You ain’t fuckin’ welcome, runt."

I furrow my brow as Dredge disappears down an alley to reunite with his cart, leaving me alone in spite of the innumerable others who were walking past me. Some had been eavesdropping, some ignoring, and some glancing at me as I lean against the wall, letting my head rest against the concrete as I grit my teeth, the pain again consuming my attention.

No one gets too close to me for a good while, either seeming anxious to be off the street or seeming apathetic to my wheezing and gasping. Some would pause and look at me for a time, but none lingered for long. My breathing had become consistently insufficient, the pain now a steady heaviness in my chest. It was still oppressive, but had stopped the sudden ebbing and spiking, allowing me to acclimate to it somewhat.

One figure in particular keeps coming back. I had lost interest in the passerby long ago, but couldn't help but notice the tall, slender figure each time it saunters freely in and out of view. Before long, a car stops on the curb in front of me, and the figure steps inside. The car then takes off, the screeching of its tires startling my eyes open. My gaze follows the tail lights drearily as the car speeds off, eventually careening around a corner a few blocks down.

Silence envelops me, as if to remind me that I’m completely on my own. I feel my eyelids begin to close, slumber beginning to pull me under. The welcoming, peaceful embrace of nothing just barely enveloping me when a loud noise pulls me from its grasp.

The loud noise comes from the purring of an engine. My eyelids open steadily until my body remembers that it can't breathe, and my eyes clench shut. I manage to slowly force my eyes open enough to see an automobile parked directly in front of me on the curb. The sliding door unlatches, and slowly slides open, revealing a pink interior lit with neon and covered in sparkly ornaments. Synthwave music wafts through the door, my ears flicking and rotating to face the new sound. Then, I hear a voice. The voice catches the entirety of my focus, easily cutting through the music to invade my ears. 

"Darling~"

A large, blue-skinned figure lounges in clear view, wrapped in a heavy red cloak with a white fur trim. He slides his way slowly from the limousine, strutting towards me as he slides his pink-tinted heart-shaped shades from his face. He clears his throat and leans towards me, speaking slightly louder this time.

"I said... darling~"

His thumb and forefinger grip my chin, tilting my head back to make me look at him. Flustered and completely overwhelmed, I try to gasp for air, prompting another intense jolt of pain. I curl in on myself violently, only to feel another two hands come to rest on my chest and back, the hands on my face shifting to my shoulders. He speaks again.

"Oh dear.. you poor thing~ starved of oxygen, sitting out here all alone~? I simply cannot have it~"

My body trembles as I find myself torn between reacting fearfully and being lulled into the smooth, easy sound. I lift my head to look at the source of the voice, my shoulders slowly lowering.

"Won't you come with me, gourgeous~?” he says tilting his head as his smile fades into a small frown, “I simply cannot bear to see such a pristine young thing like you quivering in pain any longer~"

He waits patiently, but expectantly for my response, cupping my chin more tenderly than previously. I want desperately to shake my head, but deep down, I know accepting his offer is my only chance. My head nods, bringing a smile to the stranger’s face. His red eyes brighten as his hands caress my cheeks. 

"Splendid~ I'm awfully happy you've accepted my offer~” he coos, a tone of relief obvious in his voice, “Pretty things like you vanish every day in the Pentagram, you know~ We won't let that happen to you though, will we~? Do you need help getting in the limo, precious~?"

I shake my head, but another arm hooks under my legs and lifts me from the ground in spite of my empty protests. The stranger chuckles, "Such a stubborn lost faun~ Just let me take care of it, love~ Don’t feel like you’ve anything to prove to me right now~"

Another stinging surge of pain brings my defiance to a quick halt. I cling reluctantly to his shoulders as I'm brought from the chilly air of the city into the warm, cozy interior of the limo.

The stranger sits down, then slowly sets me next to him before pulling my head to his shoulder. I make a weak attempt at pulling away, but his gentle hand proves far too much for me to resist.

"Oh come now, darling~ you mustn't strain yourself~ relax~ You're safe now~"

If I could speak, I would be tempted to respond with something along the lines of, 'God, don’t I feel sooo safe.' After thinking it over a bit, however, I realize this might not be the best course of action. My inability to speak suddenly doesn’t annoy me as much.

The limo cruises up and down the streets of the city, my new caretaker trying to comfort me any way he can. He offers me water, painkillers, and more, but it's apparent he doesn't know what will help me. There is no doubt in my mind he wants me comfortable and content, his lack of success making him visibly distraught. I can't help but feel a slight sense of gratitude, however tentative and warped by distrust that feeling is.

I find myself lying against his shoulder as two hands stroke my side in an effort to comfort me. My chest twitches, pulling in uselessly small amounts of air with each painful tug.

"Goodness me... and I thought I found suffering amusing... this is much too far even for me~" the large stranger says in a worried tone, reaching over to grip my waist and pull me into his lap. His arms curl around my torso tenderly to hold me against his chest. He turns to the window and mutters something to the chauffeur, who then makes a few turns onto what appears to be the main boulevard. The stranger pulls a phone from his pocket, holding my head up to his jawline as he hurriedly fires off a couple messages. 

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to make this less painful, precious?” he asks pleadingly, one of his hands rubbing my chest tenderly. 

“The lights… they hurt my eyes,” I respond weakly, squinting up at him. 

“I have a sleeping mask, gorgeous,” he says, his eyes widening hopefully, “Would you like to borrow it?”

I nod hurriedly, blinking the glare out of my eyes and watching as one of his arms fishes about in a small compartment to his left.

A short while later, we pull over to the side of the road and the door at the front of the cabin slides open. I feel the car move as someone enters the car. The stranger silently motions towards me, and utters something I can't understand, as his hand was resting over one ear and the other ear was pressed against his neck. The stranger then slides the sleeping mask I asked for over my eyes, giving me a welcome break from the bright pink lights. 

"Yeah.. I'll see what I can do, I guess," a new voice says, my ears flicking against the skin of the large blue-skinned figure, turning to face the new sound. The arms around me slowly retreat, and I feel a gloved hand slowly wrap around my own. "Follow me, short stack," the new voice quips, guiding me through a small passageway into another section of the limo. I hear a sigh as I again find myself next to a stranger. Another gloved hand presses to my chest, reminding me how violently my muscles are straining. The newcomer also seemed to get the message, shouting, "Holy shit you're not breathing at all!" 

The stranger moves me onto my side and lays behind me, keeping me from rolling onto my back or chest. Two hands rest on my sides below my rib cage, feeling the spasms of my obliques. "Oooh... that can't feel good at all, can it?" he asks knowingly.

"This ain't gonna feel good, but it might help distract you," he says, not waiting for a response before he begins digging his fingers up under my ribs, pressing and rolling them against my muscles in an attempt to force me into relaxation. I arch my back and writhe about, letting out barely audible cries of discomfort. A second set of arms encases me, holding me against the chest of whoever I'm with.

"I know.. I know..." he says in a soft and smooth tone, continuing to work his fingers against the muscles under my ribs and keeping my body still with his other set of arms. "Try to keep still," he pleads earnestly. I can only release a whine in response, my muscles fighting him every step of the way.

"Shhhhh... Listen to my voice," he says steadily as he pushes his fingers further under my ribs. I give another protest, wanting to let him help me but becoming more despondent and panicked by the second. I try to pull away, only to be held more firmly, the sound of a soft cooing whisper washing into my right ear as he leans his face in as close as he can, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"One... Two... Three... Four..." he begins counting. Before I know it, I’ve stopped trying to pull away and begun counting along with him in my head. The pain is still there, but something else is taking up space and providing a distraction; something to focus on besides the pain. I go still, then press against the warm body behind me, trying to let him know I get the message. I feel him nod against my neck and continue his steady counting.

One hundred... Five hundred... Seven hundred... finally, after nearly eight hundred counts, I feel something begin to soften in my chest. I mutter out the numbers as best I can before pushing his hands away and letting out a soft sniffle. 

I will myself to breathe in, and my lungs expand. I draw in a painfully deep breath, the first deep breath I’ve ever taken. I hold it in, my eyes welling up with tears. The sting of tears comes, but I can only think of the sensation as ecstasy. Finally, I let out that huge breath; immediately bursting into thick, body shaking sobs.


	2. Homecoming

Both sets of arms softly wind around my midsection, a hand rubbing my shoulder as my chest heaves frantically. Elation washes into my world, momentarily covering up my uncertainty, doubt, and frustration. I forget that I'm being held by a stranger; that I'm in a limo owned by an imposing, unnerving individual who swept me off the street. I forget, until reality swoops back in, washing away the fleeting sense of contentment.

I hear the curtain being pulled open, followed by some mutterings I can't understand well. Before I know it, the person who led me to my first breath was gone. I feel the sleeping mask slowly lift from my eyes, the bright pink lights flooding into my sensitive eyes. I blink a few times, then open my eyes. I come face to face with a familiar pair of pink sunglasses, accompanied by a sickeningly large toothy smirk.

"I'm so happy to see you feeling better, darling~" he coos in that unsettlingly sultry tone, "And look at you, on your own two feet already~ you had me worried sick, you know~"

I scowl softly, holding my tongue and making sure I think before I speak. "Th-thank you.. umm... I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but... Who the fuck are you?" I ask, those last words managing to slip from my lips in the least threatening way I can imagine. Even so, the previously menacing figure seems to be taken aback.

"Oh dear~ I figured you would have known already, gorgeous~ Are you trying to wound my pride~?" he asks, glancing at me with a mix of amusement and mock pain splayed easily across his face.

I cross my arms, raising one eyebrow as I respond, "Not at all... I don't even know where I am, let alone who the 'important people' are around here... Guess I’ve been a little busy gasping for air and getting lured into a posh limo to have given it any thought."

The stranger's expression shifts from false pain to curious amusement, his hand raising to, yet again, slide his gaudy sunglasses from his eyes.

"Mmmm... Perhaps it's too soon for jokes with you~” the stranger drones, earning an eye roll from me, “The name is Valentino, it's a pleasure to share your company~ As for why you should know me... well~ let's save that for once you've acclimated to your new... shall we say... condition~"

I raise my other eyebrow, not appreciating the vagueness of his supposed answers to my questions. “My new condition?” I ask, my voice gaining a little more confidence every time I use it, “You mean being lucid enough to speak? Don’t take too long to get the hang of. Something tells me anything else ain’t too healthy, let alone normal.” I feel my brow furrow, anger threatening to bubble up from within me. “I ain’t no bitch. Lemme hear it,” I say, straightening my back and maintaining direct eye contact.

"Listen, darling~ I'll explain what you need to know in due time,” Valentino says smoothly, almost condescendingly, as if I were acting like a child. “My mind is elsewhere at the moment, and I've been couped up in this limo since last afternoon. Can we get inside? Maybe get some clothes on you before we talk about these things~?"

Both my eyebrows launch into the stratosphere as I look down at my completely uncovered form. My cheeks turn crimson as my eyes shoot back up to Valentino, my hands shifting to cover myself as much as they can.

"I promise, we will discuss everything you need to know once we get you situated~,” he says in that same, empty excuse for a concerned tone, “I don't like keeping secrets, but there are things that must be done first, as I'm sure you'll agree, sugar~" His tone changes slightly, now more closely resembling a calm request for understanding. 

It wasn’t enough for me, one of my eyebrows lowering as the other stays way up in the sky. “What’s gotta be done before you can tell me where you’ve brought me?” I ask firmly, his grin softening as he lets out a soft grunt. 

“Listen, darling,” he says dismissively, “You may not know it yet, but you’re beyond lucky to have me bring you anywhere in the first place. Like I said, I’m not one to keep secrets, but I do lose my patience quickly when people can’t accept gifts. Do you really think I’m gullible enough to entertain the idea that you won’t ask follow up questions? Come now, you’re smarter than that.”

My tone loses its stability as I make one more ditch effort at getting something out of the difficult stranger. “Come on,” I plead, “I just barely learned to breathe. I’ll hold my tongue and let you tell me whatever you want to. Just, tell me where I am.”

The stranger seems to ponder my offer for a time, before leaning in and whispering, “You’re safe. Isn’t that all that matters right now?” I gasp softly, his sudden closeness catching me off guard. “Now, go inside and take some time to calm yourself down so I can be sure you’re in a better state to hear what I have to tell you, and get yourself cleaned up and looking presentable while you’re at it. Do you understand me, gorgeous?” he asks, staying uncomfortably close to my ear and letting his voice settle over me like a weighted blanket. I nod shakily, letting out a relieved sigh as the tall stranger slowly withdraws, his lips spreading out in a grin. “Speak up, darling,” he coos. 

“Yes, sir,” I reply. 

“Yes, who?” he asks, his smile drooping a bit. 

“Yes, Valentino,” I concede, my ears pinning back slightly. 

“Good,” he says, his smile spreading again, “Now, out you go.” He motions his head towards the door, then moves aside to let me pass him. I hesitate, looking at myself once again before shooting a glance at Valentino. He chuckles, putting a hand to his lips before ruffling my hair. "Don't worry, dearest~ No one will see you~” he says as he places another hand on the small of my back and guides me to the doorway.

I nod a bit and slide out the limo, finding myself in a small underground garage. Valentino steps out after me and immediately slides his red velvet cloak around my body, slipping one hand down to hold my waist against his side. He glances down at me, then leads me through a pair of double doors, makes a left, and presses an elaborate button outside of an elevator. When the door opens, we step inside, and he presses a button labeled P-D. The elevator begins moving upwards, neither of us saying a word to each other, and Valentino refusing to return any of my silent glances. Finally, the doors open, and the cloak is pulled away from my body. 

“Out you go, dearest~” he coos, giving me a soft nudge out onto the white tile floor of the room before me.


	3. Hierarchy of Needs

I glance around the cleanly, tile walled room before turning around bashfully to look at Valentino. A confused and slightly irked expression spreads across my features as he chuckles and waves at me idly.

"Gianni will be with you shortly, darling~” he coos between small waves of subdued chuckling. “For now, you can slip into a bathrobe and make yourself comfy~ He'll tell you where to find me once he gets you fixed up and presentable~~"

I manage a nod, then feel myself hesitate before I make myself speak again, "Thank you, Valentino... I'll be honest, you creep me out a bit, but... I appreciate you helping me..."

He smiles, a slightly warmer expression than his usual sneering grin, before removing his glasses and giving me a soft bow. "Oh come now, gorgeous~ it really wasn't anything special~" he says, pausing briefly before sliding his glasses back on, "And please, call me Val, Valentino sounds so esoteric~ Spare me the syllables, precious~"

"Understood, Val," I reply, picking up a deep red robe from a small pile next to me and sliding it around my shoulders. Val presses a button, and the doors close, leaving me on my own for a while. I use the time to mull over my situation, barely able to get anywhere before I notice the clacking of claws against the tile floor. My ears flick towards the sound, and my eyes follow them, coming to rest a sleekly dressed male strongly resembling a leopard. A large tuft of fur crests around his neck, as well as from his back up over the top of his head, much like a mane. To say he’s dressed well is an understatement, a black dress shirt with diamonds glistening on the shoulders and matching black slacks serving as what I could only assume he thought of as casual wear. He smiles unassumingly, stepping forward and speaking in a warm, soft, and steady tone.

"Greetings. Val mentioned he had someone for me to... fix up?" he remarks, his italian accent catching my attention as he motions to my unkempt and dirty form. I nod, embarrassment coloring my cheeks a light pink. "Yeah... I'm assuming you're Gianni?" I ask, softening my expression as I look at him. He smiles and strides over to me, extending a clawed hand before smirking mischievously.

"Gianni Versace, pleasure to make your acquaintance," he utters, giving me a soft chuckle as my eyes widen noticeably.

"Pleasure to mee- waiwaiwait... You mean to tell me yo-" I stammer, my face scrunching up in confusion.

"Yes, that Gianni... Why so shocked?" he asks, seeming confused by my amazement.

"Didn't you..." I begin, then pause, looking at him as the puzzle pieces begin to settle into place within my mind. My eyes widen, my jaw hanging slack as I look at the feline. 

"Ahhhh, so you're fresh to the pentagram, ain't ya?" he concludes, chuckling healthily, "Well, if you haven't gotten there on your own yet, you happen to find yourself right in the center of h-"

"Hell... This is hell, isn't it?" I ask, the steady and knowing tone in my voice shocking and unnerving to me. I gulp audibly, my gaze falling to the floor as a cold chill runs up my spine. My chest tightens slightly, and I shake my head to break out of my sudden funk. 

"That it is... Did no one tell you?" he inquires, seeming a little taken aback and concerned by my shaken up appearance.

"Nah... no one thought it important enough to mention it." 

I sigh and chuckle dryly, gulping again as I try to push away the onslaught of anxiety crawling up my throat and spreading across my chest. “I tried to ask Valentino, but he didn’t seem keen on answering in the limo,” I say, my voice breaking a couple times and betraying my anxiety. 

"Well, I apologize for breaking the news this way,” he begins, his hands fidgeting as if tempted to reach out and touch me, “but nevermind that nonsense. I've picked out some soaps and lotions for you to clean up with before we get that body of yours looking like the masterpiece you've been hiding under all that blood and grime. Second shower on the left down that hallway is all set for you, darlin'. I'll be there to take you to the next step right as you hop out. Sound satisfactory to you, hon?" he says, gesturing towards the indicated shower with a casual wink.

"Yeah. I'll make it as quick as I can," I promise, standing up and untying the robe as I pull back the shower curtain, the water coming on and startling me a bit.

"Oh, don't rush it, make sure you're feeling clean before you come out. I don't have much else to do. You've earned a long shower."

"Thanks, Gianni..." I say before slipping into the shower.

"Let me know when you're out!" he chirps back, the sounds of him walking moving away from the shower as I let out a deep sigh. I realize how grimy I am immediately, blood and flakes of god-knows-what peeling off my skin and dropping to the floor before being washed down the drain. All hopes I had of a relaxing shower immediately follow those bits of blood and dirt into the sewer, and I rush to grab a loofa, coat it in soap, and scrub the fuck out of every inch of myself.

After thoroughly removing every hint of uncleanliness from my body, I refocus my attention to my hair.

Now, I should have time to think, but all my thoughts keep coming back to one thing. If I'm truly in hell, wouldn't that mean I had to die at some point? When would that part of the picture come to me.. Would it at all? Did Gianni know he had been killed by his ex-lover? Did Val know how his life came to an end?

My thoughts hit a guardrail as I encounter a few tangled locks of hair. I finish washing, rinse the shampoo from my hair, then coat everything I can in conditioner before pulling the shower comb through all the knotted regions. I sigh and rest under the firm water pressure of the shower for a time, letting my thoughts wash from my mind with the dreads I had pulled out. For now, I just needed to keep myself moving.

I exit the shower, having dried myself off as best I can. Just as I take in a breath to call for Gianni, I feel a clawed finger playfully poke my shoulder.

"Oh, MUTHAFUK- aaaaahhh, ya got me..." I scratch my head and blush bashfully as Gianni laughs loudly and waves me to follow him, unable to speak through his unadulterated cackles.

I follow along, Gianni leading me to a rack with white robes on them, grabbing one and motioning for me to turn around so he can slip it over my shoulders. He then purrs softly and leads me to an octagonal room, a raised platform in the middle surrounded on almost all sides by mirrors. I stand on the platform and he gets to work, taking measurements and documenting the tones of my hair, eyes, and skin. It doesn't take too long, and once he's done he takes my hand and guides me to a chair.

He pushes some of my hair up, letting the curls form, before gathering up all the hair below my neckline and beginning to braid it, humming and purring to himself contentedly until he finishes the braid with a gold band marked with a Medusa insignia. Then he spins my chair around, and I come face to face with my reflection for the first time.

My hair is a rich plum color, my eyes more of a mauve. My deep, olive skin looks smooth and full. My teeth are sharpened to a point, and my ears, long and pointed, poke out from my hair, being a lighter bubblegum red themselves. Most curious of all, under my right eye are what look like two halves of a heart, but they're upside down. "Hey, Gianni, did you put these there?" I ask, lightly pressing on them with my fingers.

"Oh, those? No... I didn't... Looks like a birthmark of some kind to me... lots of us have those..." He remarks, pulling at the collar of his shirt to show me a spot that isn't black, but white, also in the shape of a heart. "I will be honest, though. I haven't seen split hearts like that before. Then again, you're fairly different than a lot of the sinners I've met down here."

I huff to myself and shrug softly, not thinking too much of it as I stand up from the chair and turn around. "Well, thank you, Gianni... I feel much better..." I reach to shake his hand, but he looks at me with a confused expression.

"Oh hon, we haven't even gotten you in clothes yet! I've got an outfit picked out for you that I'm sure you're going to love!"

"Oh fuck! I almost forgot!" I exclaim bashfully, chuckling heartily as he leads me to a large set of double doors. He opens the doors and we walk inside. He turns to his left and hands me a pair of white jeggings with a very soft feel, before glancing around the gaudy walk-in closet. He hums to himself, then looks back to me, a small smirk blossoming across his lips.

"You know what? Just for you~~" he utters before grabbing a silk long-sleeve from a rack to his right and handing it to me before immediately tossing a belt my way as well. The shirt was an explosion of white, black, and gold, the borders and hems covered in Greek Theater patterns. However, the thing that caught my focus was how unbelievably comfortable it felt. Gianni then slides a necklace around my neck, setting a few other accessories on the floor in front of me.

"Now can I say thank you?" I ask playfully, looking at Gianni with gratitude obvious in my expression.

"You may~ after you put on that outfit and show me how lovely you look in it~" He responds smoothly as he leaves the room with a giddy expression, a subtle bounce in his cheerful gait. I let out a smiling sigh, getting myself into the new clothes before knocking on the door and waiting for Gianni to get a look. The door opens, and Gianni's whole face seems to glow with excitement.

He pulls me to the mirror by my hips, bouncing up and down behind me as his eyes dart over every inch of my reflection. He looks down at his watch, and settles down a little bit before saying, "Come see me after your little chat with Val... we gotsa get a little something on that gorgeous money maker yer wearing up here~" He pokes my cheeks and walks back to the elevator with me, stepping in and pressing the button labeled P-Star. We both smile warmly at each other until the doors open, and Gianni motions me forward. I move my back off the wall and crack my neck.

"Same floor as last time, for when I come to see you after my little... rendezvous with Val?" I ask, feeling anxious about what lay before me and wanting to spend more time with the leopard. In spite of his over the top antics, he makes me feel slightly less uncomfortable when I'm around him.

He nods and motions me forwards. "Yes, don't keep Val waiting... He gets anxious with things like this..."

I nod softly. "He does seem the type to get fiesty, huh? I'll be up in a bit..." I step out of the elevator and motion a gentle wave in Gianni's direction, then open the door in front of me to reveal a cozy looking lounge. Val sits in a loveseat, giving me an unusually fleeting glance at first.

"Come in..." he utters, turning away, before doing doing a double-take and widening his eyes, his face brightening as he recognizes me.

"Oh for heaven's sake, I barely recognized you, darling~ My oh my, does Gianni ever know how to get lovelies like you looking oh so right~" he says apologetically, assuming a more relaxed position, "Not that you looked anything other than precious before, of course~"

"It's no problem... but I'm not here for flattery," I begin, speaking with as respectful a tone I can muster. I draw in a deep sigh, then continue, "I know you're trying to make me comfortable, but I can't relax until I at least know where I am and why... And.. why you've brought me here.."

Val's face settles into a more serious expression, his smile fading and his brow furrowing in mild concentration. He removes his glasses and motions for me to sit, which I do with slight reservation. I sigh lightly, Val following suit as he clears his throat.

"So... You're in Pentagram City. You have gotten that far, yes, darling?"

I nod. "Yeah... I also am aware that I'm in hell. Gianni Versace? He's been dead for a while... That was the tipping point for me at least. The pieces I'm still missing are who you are to the people here, and why you decided to take me in..."

Valentino nods and releases another sigh, his smile making a return, albeit less menacing than usual.

"Another associate of mine asked me to give you a look. He noticed you sitting against the wall, wheezing occassionally, and he was a little concerned~ He also mentioned you were quite pleasing to look at, and he was quite correct in that assessment~ So I decided to take you under my wing, especially when I realized why you had been so silent. Seeing someone so strikingly gorgeous in such agony brought about pity that I haven't felt before~ I couldn't let that beauty go to waste~

"And about me~ I'm Valentino as you know~ I'm the owner of the most successful adult film production agency in the nine circles~"

I sigh a bit to myself, glancing at myself and then back at Valentino. "Let me guess... In return for your 

I'm going to have to-"

"I will not deny I see you as an opportunity to expand my influence in this industry, gorgeous... You are in hell... there are no freebies here... You are quite lucky though, darling... I will give you time to adjust yourself to your new reality before I make you choose between me and the jungle outside this tower's walls." He looks at me, his smile taking on its typical tone. "I will provide you with your basic needs, as well as money with which you can pursue the higher tiers of your hierarchy... But, my darling~ The rest is up to you~"

I let out a deep sigh, blinking before my eyes flick up to him. I could feel my hands tensing slightly, my toes curling in my boots as his statement gets itself comfortable in my mind. "Thank you for giving me time... I won't dilly dally in making my decision." I lower my head slightly, my brow furrowing as I search for the exit to this situation.

"Darling~?" Val leans forward and smiles softly, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.

"Yes, Val?" I answer, ignoring my body as it begs for me to lean away.

"Could you tell me your name, gorgeous~? I might be a kingpin, and you probably don't think highly of my morals at the moment, but make no mistake, you do matter to me, and not just your lovely surface appeal." He keeps his glasses off, a sense of honesty persisting through his chronically smooth tone.

"It's Eris... Eris Apollo..." I reply hesitantly, feeling my throat tighten slightly as a grin spreads over his face.

"Eris... mmm... I hope you don't mind pet names, Eris... Next we see each other, I might have one for you~" He chuckles deeply, and a soft smile spreads over my features, followed by a soft giggle as Val takes my hand and pulls me off the loveseat, leading me to the door and motioning to the elevator.

"Don't disappoint me, it better be creative. You've got a lot to work with," I muse, the promise of this encounter coming to an end coaxing me into a more relaxed state.

"Oh, if the name is anything less than that, I will refrain from using any such names for you until I think of one you can't deny is clever. Now, have a lovely night, Eris darling~"

"It better be more creative than that, my almost Valentine," I tease, batting my eyelashes up at the large moth.

"Run off, and let me start thinking about it, damn you~" he chuckles back to me, giving me a soft prod on the rear. "Go have fun with Gianni. I'm sure he's getting bored without you around~"

"I plan to. Let me know when you figure out something fun, though, Santa. I could use an early Christmas." I reply, pressing Gianni's floor and giving Val a slight wave as I wait for the doors to close. I pause, giggling to myself until a sigh gives way to silent contemplation, and, soon after, confusion and disorientation.

I think aloud to myself, rubbing my forefingers in my eyes and letting out a deep grunt.


	4. The Light Shines Brighter

Before long, the elevator doors open, revealing that tiled room I had walked into earlier today and freeing me from my isolated thinking. I walk towards where the room splits into two hallways, one running in each direction for a good ways. I glance back and forth, wondering where Gianni could have run off to. 

I hear a noise to my left, something like a door opening rapidly. I begin to move briskly down the hallway, assuming Gianni has heard of my arrival and is hurrying over to see me. I hear the door close again as I make it to the end of the hallway, rounding the corner with a huge smile on my face. I raise my hand to wave, but when I don't see anyone there, I freeze, my voice still poised for a vibrant hello. My ears flick a bit, catching the muffled sounds of two voices speaking loudly and urgently behind the door in front of me. 

One of the voices belonged to Gianni, and both voices were muffled, but not completely obscured... But... Why couldn't I tell what they were saying?

Just as I begin to focus on it, Gianni lets out a bellowed "Fanculo quello che dice!" clearly communicating I was encountering a language barrier. I draw nearer the door, sighing a bit as I wait for everything to calm down. Just as I approach, however, the door flies open, releasing a tall, slender sinner I didn't recognize, but couldn't deny rung a bell or two. 

He begins to bellow another sentence before his eyes register my presence. His eyes fall away from me and he turns back to Gianni with a sigh. "We'll continue this later, Gio.. thanks for letting me get loud at ya for a while, but I gotta get a little sleep. Shoots, scenes, the usual," the four-armed giant says, a thin veil of apathy patched over an obvious undertone of frustration. Gianni nods and gives him an understanding wave before turning to me, the other sinner striding briskly from the room, offering a final, "Take care, toots!" as he pushes through the doors into the elevator lobby.

My eyes linger in the direction of the tall sinner's exit for a time, until a soft and playful growl from the leopard behind me refocuses my gaze on his now smiling face. 

"Please excuse him," Gianni begins, scratching at the back of his head, "and excuse me as well. That's how we talk sometimes."

I put a hand up, dismissing the apology with a concise shake of my head. "Please, that doesn't get to me. Only reason it might have sounded like an argument to me is because I don't speak spaghetti." I chuckle, following Gianni into his deceptively large studio, or whatever it was. 

"Yeah, we never start out in Italian, but it always ends up that way about halfway through. So, how did it go with the big man?" he asks, looking over to me with a tentatively curious expression. I shrug and tilt my head back and forth a slight bit.

"It went... well honestly it went just about exactly how I expected it to. I knew he wasn't taking me in out of the kindness of hit heart alone... I knew there were strings attached," I reply, rambling a little bit. Gianni listens, his ears flicking as he nods slightly, laying his forearms on the back of his chair and rocking back and forth steadily as he processes what I'm saying. 

"Yeah, none of us really have a good handle on him," he admits, "All I know is the people he brings in tend to get along with me, and I don't have to worry about too much. He was in this industry, and I was at the top of the fashion game here in the Pentagram, so we kinda just fit together in a way. I don't get payed by him too often, and he doesn't ask for much money from me."

"Sounds like a righteous deal," I remark, sighing to myself, "Wish I coulda gotten some strings removed..."

I feel Gianni's hand resting on my shoulder, "Look, Eris... I might be influential here, but Valentino, he's powerful. I wish I could just scoop you up and put you in amazing clothes all day, but you know how that would go for me." He squeezes my shoulder firmly with his thumb, and I set my hand on top of his, letting out yet another sigh. 

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens, won't we?" I conclude, my face betraying indecision and uncertainty. 

Gianni lets out a shaky sigh, speaking in a monotone fashion. "If you choose to stay when Val asks you what your choice is... you know changing your mind after that isn't going to be easy, right?" he asks, gripping my shoulder a little tighter.

"Listen, Gio," I begin, giving his hand an assuring few taps, "I know you're trying to be subtle with me, but I already know that Val's a pimp... He doesn't even do a good job hiding it," I chuckle a bit and bite my lip, looking down towards the ground for a moment before taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a great gust. "I'm just gonna have to figure out whether I want to chance it or if I'd be better of trying to survive on my own." I release his hand from my grip, letting out a bit of a sigh as my eyes focus on my hands resting in my lap. 

Gianni lets out a soft chuckle and nods sharply, patting my shoulder a few times before smiling.

"Well, enough of that dramatic shit. Let's fill a wardrobe, yes?" Gianni begins, a low purr bringing a bright smile back to his face. He moves in front of me and cups my cheeks, studying my face closely before an audible purr leaps from his throat and he pulls me to a counter, a big mirror reflecting my face back into my eyes. Gianni disappears briefly, then comes right back with a playful grin and makeup products in both hands.

"Hmmmm~ Let's see here... You want a lot, or you going more subtle, Eris?" he asks, slipping directly into a mode I haven't yet seen from him, but find endearing and helpful given my less than pleasant predicament. 

"I think we should go wi-"

"A subtle approach! Great thinking, Eris!" he exclaims confidently, leaving me with the word subtle hanging precariously off the tip of my tongue. 

"Thanks for asking, asshole~" I retort, trying unsuccessfully to hide a large grin.

"Don't try to tell me I was wrong, Eris," he teases, earning a playful pout from me. 

"Oh, just keep talking, kit kat," I say dismissively, smiling as he steps between me and the mirror, eye shadow in hand. 

"Close those gems of yours, Eris," he says, wiggling the brush around anxiously as I allow my eyes to close. After a light dusting is applied, he pulls the brush away and smiles. "Open up, sunshine!"

I blink a few times, and watch as Gianni's head tilts back and forth a few times, his eyes squinting before he gives a small, sharp nod at his handiwork. He moves away, grabbing a pencil and squinting softly. "Keep 'em open this time..." he mutters just loud enough for me to acknowledge before he slowly traces the outline of my eyes. 

Yet again, he retreats, squints, and tilts his head back and forth for a time before smiling and grabbing what I immediately recognize as mascara. I pause and let out a tentative protest, raising my arms and opening my hands in a show of reservation. 

"Relax yourself, hon... It's just giving them a bit of presence, nothing too noticeable," he assures me, again reminding me to keep my eyes open before brushing away at my lashes. 

With each new bit of product applied, I feel a sort of tug inside myself. Will it look nice? I figured it would be appealing. It's the question that comes next that troubles me. 

Gianni, as if sensing my reservation, begins to speak again. "You know, typically I have to apply coats of this stuff... But any more than one on you would ruin it..." 

I chuckle as Gianni pulls away from me and smiles at me with a satisfied purr emanating from his throat. He holds up two colors of what I can only assume is lipstick, holding them out to me. 

"Your choice, Apollo~" he offers, holding them both up for me to take look at, "One of them matches your hair, the other matches those ears of yours." I could see the gears turning in his head as he looks back and forth between my two ears as they adjust and flick up and down sporadically. 

I make a face briefly and reach out to take the one I thought matched my ears, grabbing hold of it and knowing I had made the right choice when Gianni smiled and tossed the other color away.

"Good choice," he purrs, lightly pinching my nose before applying the lipstick to himself and giving me an innocent, yet amused glance. I catch myself glancing down at my lips, then back at Gianni's. My cheeks light up a glowing red as Gianni chuckles and leans in, then presses the tip of the lipstick to my lips and applies it himself, giggling playfully as my cheeks burn red. 

"Shy thing, ain't cha.." he remarks, putting away products as he motions for me to look in the mirror. I do so, and feel myself become slightly entranced with what I see. 

"Oh wow..." is all I can muster as I stare at my mildly altered appearance in the mirror. It was just enough, not too much, but maybe just not quite enough. And it was better that way. I smile and glance back at Gianni, smiling happily before noticing his hand reaching out to take hold of the tip of my ear. 

"Oh! Gianni?" I exclaim, letting out a soft giggle as he peers at my ears, releasing a purr that was already a tell for me. 

"What ideas are spinning in that head of yours, Gianni?" I ask inquisitively, raising an eyebrow and tilting my head back to give him a dramatic glance. He responds by hurrying away to grab some hardware. He returns with jewelry filling both hands, all of them appearing to be earrings of some sort. He raises his eyebrows at me, setting all the precious stone studded earrings on the counter before me. 

"Let's pick a few of these to dress those ears up with, yes?" he asks, rubbing his hands together with the eagerness of a small child before immediately removing about half the choices from the counter with a look of displeasure spreading over his lips. 

As he returns, I've already grabbed two larger pieces. They're medium-length chains with platinum pieces. That's cool and all, but what really gets my attention are the pendants on the bottom. Upside-down hearts, crested with a brilliant ruby right in the center. I smile and look over to Gianni, who moves to his desk and grabs a small device that resembles a pistol.

I sigh a bit and nod. "I trust your placement, just don't fuck it up, aight?" I say, giving him a resolute expression. He nods sharply, then slowly moves my head back to rest it against the headrest of my chair. He moves in closer, marking something on my ear before placing the device up to the spot. 

"Here goes... Three, two, one, FABULOUS, BITCH!!" I widen my eyes, then wince as the piercer bites through my ear. It takes me a couple seconds to realize what had just happened, and it brings a chuckle to my lips. "You cheeky motherfucker, you!" I chime as he fixes the chain of my choice to the piercing he used to create the hole. 

"Wanna do the other one, too?" he asks, giggling softly. 

"Better to get it all done, isn't it?" I reply.

"Up to you, you know I'll be here tomorrow, and ya know, same from there on forward," he says, holding some of the smaller rings and two tiny platinum chains.

I nod softly and let out a little puff, shrugging as I give in, "Fuck it, let's just stud me up all the way~"

"That's the spirit, Eris~" he purrs, getting to work. Much like the makeover from earlier, each clip brings me to a question about whether I would like it, and if I wanted to like it. Again, I just relax into it. And sure enough, seven biting pierces later, I open my eyes to look at Gianni, who looks pleased with himself. 

Looking in the mirror, I could see why. 

I sigh a bit, Gianni leading me to the elevator. "Did Val tell you how to get to your room yet?" he asked, nudging me with his elbow as I shrug a bit. 

"Nah, he didn't," I respond honestly, shrugging yet again. 

Gianni hits a button labelled PR, and he scratches his head as we reach the floor. The door opens, and I feel my body tense softly, a familiar set of red tinted lenses greeting me and Gianni as Val smiles. He was walking towards the elevator when the doors opened, as if coming from somewhere. In his hands, a key is dangling. 

"Oh! What a coincidence. You two, finally finished with your escapades~ and I didn't even have to come and let you know Eris' room was ready~" he utters, jingling the key before me. I reach out and take it, Val leaning closer to me and whispering in my ear. I go still, but his words aren't sinister. 

"Please try not to dirty everything up yet... leave that for if you decide to stay around, won't you please, goddess?~"

I nod a bit, but raise an eyebrow, "That your best, Val?"

"Of course not, Eris~ Give me a bit of time~" he replies. 

Val enters the elevator and the doors close. I look to Gianni, whose neutral expression morphs into one of excitement as I walk up to the door. 

"Oh we're not gonna sleep at all tonight, are we?" he muses, his eyes sparkling brightly. 

"Lemme guess... we're going through the whole wardrobe, aren't we?" I ask, barely having to look over to notice Gianni was nodding rapidly. 

I open the door and begin to walk inside, only to hear a voice over my shoulder and down the hall. I recognized it immediately. 

"Don't wear him out too much, Gio, give the newbie some down time, for fuck's sake~" comes the familiar voice. 

"Don't worry yourself, Tony, he's the one who asked me to show him all the wares I picked out for him!" Gianni quips back. 

"If I ask him later, and he says anything else, I'll blame you when I have to comfort another newbie you traumatized," Tony snaps back, "Oh by the way, Eris was it? Have fun with Gio! Just not too much, okay babe?"

"No promises, busta~" I reply, giving Tony a snap of acknowledgement as Gianni hooks his arm around me and drags me through the door and into my room. 

He stops in front of double doors and winks before opening it up, introducing me to a glistening walk-in closet lined floor to ceiling with suits, dress shirts, and bottoms of all material and varieties. In the middle of the room lay a jewelry display, finalizing the spectacle that was the closet. 

I smile nervously at Gianni's ecstatic expression, then shrug. "We really aren't getting any sleep tonight, are we?"

Gianni slowly turns towards me and shakes his head. "Not a chance, bi-atch."


	5. A Wake-Up

We aren't going to be up all night. It's been about three hours, and I can see even Gianni fighting back yawns every couple of minutes. I look at him with a soft smile and sit down, now draped in a silk robe with a silver skin-tight jumpsuit underneath. I release a soft yawn, placing my hands behind me as I sit in a reclining position. Gianni slowly takes a step towards me before sitting down himself. 

"You seem tired," I muse, giggling as he releases yet another yawn, "think it's time to call it for the night?"

"Yeah," Gianni responds, cracking his neck and stretching his arms out before looking at me with a contemplative expression. "Honestly, I was just trying to delay the inevitable walk back to my room I'd have to take." I sigh softly, then crack a little smile and scoot closer to the feline. 

"You tryna spend the night, kit kat?" I tease, propping my chin on Gianni's shoulder with a soft rumble in my throat mimicking a purr. 

Gianni grunts at me and shrugs me off, but can't avoid cracking a small smile. "Is that an offer I hear, new kid?" He shifts his gaze to me as he lifts a hand to push a stray hair from the bridge of my nose. I yawn softly, standing up and sliding into some sleepwear before walking out of the closet, cracking my neck and shoulders on the way to bed. 

"Yep... You can crash here tonight... where do you wanna sleep?" I call from the other room as I head the soft pit pat of Gianni's feet as he leaves the closet.

"Well... As you can see... it's a nice room, but it's not necessarily meant to accommodate large groups... So..." Gianni pauses, and I don't feel the need to let him finish. 

"Go get some pajamas on, and don't be a weirdo, aight?" I say directly, slowly easing my way into bed as Gianni nods. I watch him briskly move into the closet, coming out wearing a pair of bottoms similar to mine. He then lifts the blankets and scoots in next to me, letting out an infectious yawn that I catch almost immediately. 

I wipe my eyes of the tears brought on by the intense yawn, then curl up on my side with my back facing Gianni. I could say I was surprised when I felt motion behind me, but I'd be lying if I told myself I could expect this leopard to keep his paws all to himself. 

I let out a chuckle as two arms slowly snake around my midsection, and a cheek rests softly against my back. 

"Sorry," Gianni mutters, "I tried..."

"No, you didn't," I respond, letting out another giggle as I snuggle back against Gianni slightly, "but it's fine."

"Just.. tell me if you want me to keep my distance, okay?" he asks. 

"Sure," I begin, but feel my eyelids becoming heavier and heavier by the second. 

Soon enough, I've lost consciousness. 

It's with a heavy sigh and a few extra blinks that my eyes open, greeted by the same red hue I had opened my eyes to when I had first arrived. I shift under the covers, and immediately am reminded that I'm not alone in my bed. Gianni's arms are still wound around me, and one of his legs has sprawled itself over my own legs. I release a yawn, my body stretching out and waking up the leopard who was tangled around it. I feel his ears flick against my neck, and then feel him sigh against my shoulder as his arms tighten around me slightly. 

"Mmmn... Good morning, Eris," Gianni mutters, giving my chest a few scratches before he shifts to slide his leg from atop my own, still holding me to his chest and letting out tired purrs. "I hope I didn't keep you up."

"You didn't keep me up at all, Gio," I say reassuringly, shrugging his arms off to turn around and rest my head on his chest, "If you did, you would have woken up in the hallway."

I feel Gio's chest rumble as he releases a soft chuckle, his fingers slowly pressing and scratching along the back of my ears before he taps my shoulder slightly. "Well.. Val wants me to show you around the city a bit today.. Should we start getting you looking... well... like your best self before we get you oriented?" 

He ends his suggestions with a soft purr, finishing it off with a bit of an excited wink. I sigh and stretch, my body writhing slightly against his fur as I finally force myself to sit up. Gianni sits up as well, rolling his shoulders a few times before sliding out of bed and heading over towards the closet. I wipe my eyes and follow him, cracking my neck as he opens the door and we step inside. I let out a sigh and give Gianni a wry smile as he begins to rock back and forth on his hind paws with an excited smile on his face.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Much to my surprise, we didn't spend too long in the wardrobe. As much as Gianni was a total spaz, he could get surprisingly focused when it came to this kind of thing. Within ten minutes, we have an outfit. I rush to the shower and quickly freshen up, trying not to spend too long just standing under the water before I walk back out and wrap myself in a towel. Gianni pulls me over to a seat and braids my hair briskly, coaxing a sigh from my throat. 

"You need to teach me how to do that sometime soon, Gio," I say as he grabs another gold hair clip and clamps it around the end of the braid.

"Don't worry, we'll get that taken care of later tonight. For now, we have places to visit and a lovely little nymph to get oriented. Let's save those little trivialities for later," he responds before grabbing some mild eye shadow and dusting my eyelids, then tracing the corners of my eyes with a thin liner. "Sound like a plan, Eris?"

I nod softly, taking the tinted lip balm he hands me and applying it casually before looking in the mirror. I glance down to just above my collar bone, my eyes caught by another stray marking. This one was in the shape of a heart, but what was next to it was much more interesting. It was a line, not much different from the line left by a calligraphy brush, that snaked from my collar to my shoulder before curling around itself and moving on to my back, where I lost sight of it. I turn to try and look at it, but am disrupted from my investigation when Gianni places his hand on my shoulder. "Come now, let's get you together."

I stand up and walk to the closet as Gianni leaves to get himself feeling fresh. I slide on the pants and gloves, then get the tank and blazer. Right as I finish buttoning up, Gianni knocks on the door and opens it, walking up to me with a chuckle and undoing the buttons. "Leave it open, Eris! The Pentagram rarely gets chilly," he says, patting and dusting off my shoulders before lightly nudging me outside and getting himself dressed quickly, emerging in a navy blue suit with white accents and a couple yellow trims.

"Hungry, Eris?" Gianni asks, opening the door of my room and leading me out into the hallway. 

"A little," I respond, cracking my neck once more, "What are the options?"

"Well," he begins, "do you want to eat here at the HQ or go somewhere else?"

I shrug a bit, chuckling softly before chiding back, "I thought you were supposed to get me oriented, Gio." 

"I suppose you're correct, Eris," he responds, chuckling, "Let's eat in the lobby, it's actually quite delicious here... Might as well get you used to the menu, no?"

"Sounds like a plan... not like I have anything better to offer." I sigh and look down, the elevator doors opening as we walk in. Gianni looks at me, and once again places a hand on my shoulder. 

"Hey... Everyone who ends up down here is confused at first... I know you're uncomfortable, and that you-"

"That I what, Gio!?" I yelp, catching myself boiling over and placing a hand to my chest before continuing in a much more reserved and shaky tone, "That I feel helpless because my only hope of surviving or figuring anything out about this shithole rests in the arms of someone like Val? That I'm the person who knows the least about me?"

"Yes, all of those things... To be honest, though, Eris... You came here in a worse state than I've ever seen... Had you been more.. lucid upon arrival, you might have been able to figure something out on your own in time... Just... Don't beat yourself up for ending up here. I... I would tell you, but... You know as well as I that wouldn't help you right now... would it, Eris?" he says, his thumb pressing and moving against my shoulder comfortingly. 

I nod silently, not wanting to expose my vulnerable state as the elevator doors open and Gianni guides me into what seems like a dining hall, the grip on my shoulder relaxed, but firm enough to keep me with him. And, it being Gianni, it looked casual and usual enough for me to feel comfortable. 

As we reach a counter of some sort, Gianni shifts his hand to my other shoulder, making me lift my head to find myself in front of a small menu mounted on a stand. 

"This is how I tend to start my days here. Most of the floors are a hotel, and this is the complimentary breakfast they serve. Put anything you eat here on your room number, and it will be taken care of." I nod, looking over the menu but not seeing anything I'm falling in love with. As such, I end up following Gianni to the buffet. 

The morning continues as such, with Gianni talking about various things regarding the shops and restaurants in the tower, and handling the numerous people who come up to the table to gawk and ogle at the leopard. Eventually, the question I had been fearing comes up. 

"Oh, who's this lovely thing here?" A tall, regal looking woman asks, her scarlet eyes scanning me. Gianni casts me a slightly pleading look, wanting me to stop pretending I was still separate from this place. I let out a small exhale and turn to face the woman, feeling the battle in my head slowly recede as I focus on responding to the question. 

I let a smile curl across my lips, and I close my left eye in a brief wink, letting the black sclera of my right eye stay visible as I finally coax myself into speaking. 

"Oh, pardon my manners. I'm Eris, Eris Apollo. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, ma'am," I say, letting my voice flow as smoothly as I can as I give her a slight nod. 

"Well, Eris, my dear, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do suppose I'll see you around," she continues, before hooking her arm around her partner's and walking off with a slight wave. 

"Until then!" I call back, waving at her with my fingers as Gianni relaxes slightly and gives me a soft smile. 

Breakfast was over rather quickly after that, and before I knew it, Gianni was leading me back to the elevator, then out of the elevator and through the revolving door onto the streets of Pentagram City. Gianni glances back and forth, then glances at me. 

"So... Where to first, Eris?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at me and placing his hands in his blazer pockets. 

"Let's head... forward, I guess," I say, chuckling as Gianni again forgets that he's supposed to be showing me around. 

I let out a soft sigh, following Gianni as he once again begins to lead me into this new, unfamiliar landscape. 

As districts lead to blocks, which in turn lead to streets and important landmarks, I feel something within me begin to settle. The fluttering in my chest slows, replaced by a slight aching feeling.

This, in spite of all my attempts to deny it, is home. This is where I will spend, for all I know, the rest of time. If this is Hell, and not some hellish creation of my consciousness, then here I will certainly remain.

I was beginning to realize this fact, and that aching feeling in my chest will only subside when I learn to accept it.. Or, God forbid, embrace it.

The rest of the day becomes a blur, overcast by that nagging weight on my chest. I'm walking through the annals of my eternal prison, and Gianni knows it all too well. I hear the softness in his voice as he brought something important to my attention. I sense him begging for me to understand the layout of the city for my own damn sake. He wants me to be able to navigate, but the perversity of being shown how to exist safely in a place like this isn't lost on the leopard.

It makes me sick to my stomach.

The softness and care of Gianni's delivery makes me boil to my very core. This is information that may one day be the difference between life and death for me, and the demon next to me still feels the need to walk on eggshells so as to not shatter my already brittle psyche. Gianni was making himself take things gently with me, and I couldn't be mad at him for it. My burning rage was aimed inwards.

Why are you behaving in such a pathetic manner, Eris? Aren't you better than this? 

Somewhere deep in the recesses of my being, my dignity is being violated, and is crying out in desperation for me to lift my head and start showing some sense of urgency, rather than sighing in lamentation every time I'm reminded that I'm in Hell. Before I can silently berate myself any further, the sound of Gianni's voice provides an external distraction.

"Pretty much, no matter where you are in Hell, you will always be able to find your way to the tower... the reason I'm showing you all these places is so you know where you are and what you have to look out for... Does that make sense, Eris?" Gianni looks at me with that same gentle expression, and finally, I raise my eyes up to look at him.

"Yes, Gianni," I begin, my voice coming out with a force and steadiness almost foreign to me, "and thank you for showing me around today... I'm sorry that I made you ignore any other things you could have done today so you could drag a whining brat around the Pentagram." My voice simmers with contempt towards the end of my response, my hands clenching into fists. I keep them balled up, even though I've forgotten that my fingernails are now more like claws, which have found their new home in the flesh of my palm. I wince, gnashing my teeth as I look at Gianni. 

I had lifted my chin, I had shown urgency. Somehow, though my palms were bleeding and my chest was still burning, I felt I had proven something. That fiery feeling soon snuffs out, however, as I notice Gianni's expression. His eyes weren't showing relief, shock, or any sort of resolution. They were still held in a soft state of concern. 

No... It wasn't concern. It was something far worse. Gianni's eyes cut me far deeper than concern ever could. Gianni wasn't just concerned for me.

Gianni pitied me. He felt intensely sorry for me and my situation. 

Once again, I sink into the depth of vile, silent rage.


	6. Self Reliance

We walk back towards the tower in silence, my breath held to a steady and relaxed state so as not to give away the hot ball of frustration and anguish growing and pushing against the walls of my throat. Finally, I break the silence, turning to look at Gianni with the corners of my lips curled in what I'm hoping looks like an excited smile. "So! Are we gonna learn how to braid when we get home?"

"That is the plan," Gianni responds in the bright cadence I was hoping for, "If you're still up for it."

"Of course!" I exclaim, pausing to wait for him before keeping step with him, making sure we stayed next to each other, "I've been looking forward to it all day! Not that there seems to be much of a day down here."

Gianni chuckles dryly before linking his arm with mine, leading me back through the revolving door and towards the elevator, winking and gesturing towards the patrons in the lobby who turn their gaze on us. I follow his lead, giving anyone with their eyes on me a grin, wink, or a quick wave of the hand. We keep it up until the elevator doors close, then unlink our arms and let out a simultaneous sigh. 

We don't speak too much on the ride up, a small spark of genuine excitement guiding me to my door a few steps ahead of Gianni. I open the door, let him pass, and follow him inside.

He pulls a couple hair ties from the closet and heads into the bathroom, where the mirrored counter-top waits for me. I sit in front of the mirror, and Gianni undoes the braid. My hair drops, wavy and curly down to about my shoulder blades, with the very longest making it down to the small of my back. I sigh, then sit more upright as Gianni turns me to the side and begins. 

"The braiding is the easy piece of this puzzle, Eris... You take your hair, and divide it into three groups, then lace them one over the other like so."

He takes two in one hand and one in the other, moving one from the hand with two down through the middle of the other two, then one from the other hand, so on and so forth. Then, he stops, and lets me give it a try. 

I place my hands behind my head, dividing the hair into three pieces, then follow a similar pattern. I could tell by Gianni's expression that I was doing this part well, but I was still confused as to what the hard part would be.

"Good! But now, look at yourself in the mirror," he says with a soft chuckle. 

I turn, facing the mirror and feeling a smile spread over my lips. "Oh!! I see now!!"

The braid was fine, but all the wavy curls that Gianni leaves behind were gone, the hair on the top of my head a somewhat lumpy surface.

"Yes! So, let the braid go, and I'll show you how we can fix this..." Gianni says. I release the braid, sighing once more as he reorganizes my hair. My arms cross over my chest, frustration bubbling inside me once again. He pushes up on my hair, then pinches it at the bottom, wrapping a hair tie around where he pinched it before braiding all the hair below it. Then, he undoes the hair tie. The look that Gianni had seen in my hair greets me again, but this time, it's stained by that same frustration. Why hadn't I been the one to see that in myself? Why did I need Gianni to make me feel like I was looking my best? Why wasn't I in charge of it? Why was nothing about me under my control anymore? 

I nod a bit, then undo the braid so I could try it out. The difficulty came in using the hair tie, but after a few attempts, I got used to it. Within a few repetitions, it felt like muscle memory. 

Gianni seemed happy, and I had achieved my goal for the night. I had seen the main districts of the Pentagram, and I could get ready for the day on my own. 

Why am I still so agitated? 

I smile, only half of it real as Gianni fusses over me happily, patting my shoulders and pinching my cheeks ecstatically. He stands me up, and we walk towards the door. 

"Well, I'm happy we could fit all that in today," I say, willing myself to let my overthinking go.

"Oh, it was pleasant all the way through, Eris," Gianni responds, patting his hand on my shoulder a few times.

I feel my smile widen a bit. "Yeah! Well, I suppose I'll see you tomorrow," I begin, "We could just hang out, or... If Val has anything else planned for me, we could still have fun doing that."

Gianni ruffles my hair a little bit and kisses my cheek, patting down my blazer once more before giving me a happy smile as he says, "Yes! Whatever the circumstance, I'll be seeing you tomorrow. Have a good night, Eris." 

With that, he spins on his heels and takes his leave, letting the door close on its own as his soft footsteps echo down the hall. Then, the door closes, the sound not loud, but still all encompassing; impactful; final. For the first time, I find myself on my own.

It should feel relieving to have some time to myself, and yet that nagging feeling of unrest in my chest can now take center stage. There wasn't Val's voice oozing with austerity to unsettle me, nor the bustle of the city to overwhelm me. Gianni's upbeat, casual affection was nowhere to be found. There was just me, in a room, drenched in the harsh light of pink neon ornaments and bubblegum tinted lights, with red light wafting in through the window I found myself walking towards. 

I clamber into the window seat, resting my forearms on the windowsill and my head atop my forearms. I gaze steadily out onto the busy streets of the Pentagram, sinners of all shapes and sizes appearing like ants from the unearthly height of my room. I try to follow some of them with my eyes, see where they're going, who they're with, and maybe find some identifying characteristics. Something besides feeding that ache in my core.

Some interesting figures pass by. Some notable because of their height, some because of their movement, and some with an unapologetic sense of normality about them, which stands out like a sore thumb in a place like this.

Why couldn't I look away from this scene below me? What did I find so intriguing, and so impactful about watching other people mull about from on high? There isn't a narrative arc, there's no climax or anti-climax. There are only sinners, endless sinners moving about, bumping into each other, interacting or ignoring. Sinners upon sinners, living out their lives, doing whatever it is they're doing. 

I pause, my eyes lifting from the street to look towards the horizon. They were all doing their own thing. That's what's holding my attention. 

What have I done since arriving here? My introduction to reality has consisted of me stumbling through the streets unable to breathe before getting whisked away in a limousine. Everything since that point has been on someone else's watch. I sigh to myself and rub my eyes, my head resting against the cold, smooth windowsill as I feel my teeth grind against each other in mild frustration. 

In my brief, strange existence, I've managed to find myself here, so far above the unforgiving streets below me, without ever having to make a choice. What I see down on those savage stretches of asphault that seems so foreign to me are people making choices. Choosing who to talk to, choosing where to walk, choices I can't remember making. I envied those ants, and at the same time, knew that any of them that could see me might be envious too. I have a posh room near the top of the centerpiece of the city, where pretentious and regal sinners are a dime a dozen. No one can touch me. No one can take me. No one can get to me. 

I blink, continuing to watch as the constant flow of people continues, seemingly endless activity taking place so closeby, and yet, so far removed from the stillness of my neon pink room. I let out a deep sigh, my breath fogging up the window and obscuring my view of the hustle and bustle below me. Before I know it, I'm on my feet, moving briskly towards the door and pulling my blazer on. I open my door, my feet taking me to the elevator, through the lobby, and out the revolving doors onto those streets I had just been gazing at from up above.

I stand in front of the steps that lead to the tower behind me, looking left and right before beginning to pace right down the boulevard I had stumbled up when I first opened my eyes. There were more people lining the sidewalk now, and the viscera had mostly been cleaned up, only the occassional bone or bloodstain left behind, half of which were in the process of being cleaned up. I followed the flow of people down Pentagram Boulevard, before turning right on Second Ring Avenue. Two blocks down, the sign for ImpTail's Tavern flickers welcomingly. I smile a bit to myself as I walk through the door to a half-full house. I take a seat at the bar, and soon enough, I catch a glimpse of the barkeeper and put up two fingers. He makes his way towards me and raises his glance up to me, silently asking me for what I wanted. 

"I'll just have a lemon lime seltzer... Vodka, please," I say, the words just seeming to appear without any real precedent. The barkeep gives a slight nod and huffs to himself before mixing the drink, pausing and glancing at me. "You want the syrup in there? Make it like a vodka soda? Or just the seltzer with the lime in there?" he asks, his voice deep and gruff.

"Syrup please... make it soft, I'm not trying to get hammered tonight," I respond steadily, earning a small chuckle from the barkeep as he brings the drink over to me. 

"Then what brings you out to the Tail? I ain't ever seen you around before," he begins, pulling his stool to the other side of the bar, "What's your name, kid?"

I take a sip of the seltzer, letting the burn of the vodka linger for a bit before turning towards him. "I'm Eris. What about you?" I ask, taking another sip before cracking my fingers absentmindedly. 

"Name's Husk, not that it's any of your business, but who fucking cares at this point," he says, narrowing his eyes a bit. "What I do care about is that no one just stumbles into this joint. Don't start thinkin' I'm over here because you look interesting. I'm here because I ain't seen you before. Who's the contact, kid?"

I pause again, letting a sip sit on my tongue for a bit before I swallow and cross my arms idly across my chest. "A buddy of mine named Gio showed me around town earlier today. Said this was a good place with good food and better drinks. I figured I'd stop by."

Husk narrows his eyes again and rests his forearm on the bar, letting out a soft grunt. "Is this the same Gio who you've got plastered on the collar of that blazer? Don't be tossing that name around with me unless you've got some weight to your name too, young stuff."

I turn back to him and nod flatly. "Yeah, Gianni. He told me this was a good place. And what does it matter? So what if I stumbled in here? I'm buying, I'm drinking."

Another grunt escapes the feline's throat. "Listen, kid. Take a quick peek around here, will ya?" He gestures towards the couple of patrons in the bar, and I realize there's a stark difference in attire. Most were wearing typical street clothes. "You really think I'm just gonna sit here and not bat an eye when someone walks in draped in fine fabrics like this? Hm?" He ends his sentence with a hint of indignance before walking back through the door behind the bar and coming back out with a small plate of what appear to be chicken wings. "Eat somethin' kid, your eyes are twitchin' like you haven't eaten well in two days. I'll put it on your tab." 

I freeze up a bit, confused but at the same time oddly comfortable with the situation. I pick up a wing and take a bite out of it, then feel my voice bubble up again. "So, how do you know Gio?" I ask. 

"And this is your business why?" he snaps back, plopping down on his stool. 

"Maybe this isn't business, puffball," I chide, taking a less tentative sip of my seltzer, "Maybe I'm just curious."

"Yeah, well curiosity kills fuckers like me, so I ain't gonna feed that habit," he replies almost instantly.

"I mean, where I'm from we got a few too many cats around anyways. We don't let that get in our way," I chuckle softly. "You started this off asking who I knew, I'd be more worried about your curiosity problem than mine."

Husk stares at me for a couple seconds before shrugging and beginning to speak. "Gio and I have known each other since before either of us ended up down here. We ain't friends, but I worked some of the bars he frequented, and I guess the habits carry over." He stops talking abruptly, then glances at me blankly. 

"What do you mean by before you ended up down here?" I ask, my intrigue coming through much stronger than I had intended. 

"Listen kid, you got your question back. Don't get fuckin' comfy, aight?" he says with a finality I can't conjure up resistance to, picking up a glass and beginning to clean it as I finish my drink. "You want another seltzer, bud?" 

"Nah, I'm good for the night," I reply, standing up from my stool and setting a small roll of cash on the bar, "Keep the change, consider it a tip. I needed to get out of the tower for a bit. Thanks."

Husk glances from the money to me, ignoring my thank you and asking another question immediately. "The tower? You mean Pentagram Tower? In the middle of town?"

"Why is that your business?" I sneer, turning back around to face the barkeeper.

"Ain't none of my business," he says, "Figured you'd answer anyways."

"And here I figured you weren't interested," I chide, feeling a smile coming on, "But if you insist. Yes. I'm living at the tower. I wish I could tell you more, but to be completely honest, I ain't sure about much more myself." I shrug a bit and raise my hand towards Husk, nodding softly as I take a couple steps backwards towards the door. "I'll be around, see ya."

"See ya around, kid," I hear vaguely as I turn back onto the street, making my way back down Pentagram Boulevard to the tower. I enter, stepping through the lobby and taking the elevator up to my room. I unlock my door and walk into the room, sliding my blazer and suit off before climbing into my bed. Right as I lay down, I hear a buzzing to my left. I glance over and notice a phone. I reach towards it and pick it up, seeing a notification on the front. 

**_I forgot to give you this sooner, Eris_ **

**_When I came by the room you weren't there_ **

**_I'm glad to see you're feeling more adventurous_ **

**_Just let me know when you're back so I know you got your little gift. I'll speak with you soon.  
~Val_ **

I huff a small bit and send a quick "Got the gift, and I'm home" before shutting the phone down and placing it on the charging pad. I roll over, getting settled under the thick duvet as my eyelids slowly weigh themselves down. 

I had made a choice to leave for a while, and yet, even when I was striding down the boulevard, I knew it wouldn't be long before I ended up back at the tower. 

I push aside my nagging frustration and drift off to sleep.


	7. A Name to the Face; A Face to the Voice

It's been four days since my arrival at the tower, and ever since my first visit to ImpTail Tavern two nights ago, I've begun to make a habit of spending time outside the confines of Pentagram Tower. I knock on the door to Gianni's room, smiling as he opens the door and immediately goes in for the pecks on my cheeks. 

"You didn't even need my help with the outfit this time, Eris," he remarks, gesturing at me indiscriminately, "Soon, you may have no more use for me."

I chuckle with him at his jesting, beginning to stroll towards the elevator with him in tow. "Yes, your days of use to me are numbered, Gio. You better get ready for me to start avoiding you at all costs. This is Hell, after all," I jest, giving him a flamboyant wave of the arms as I lower my eyelids to half mast in a poor imitation of Valentino.

"Ah, truly a depressing world we live in," Gianni chides, using his tail to swish my braid around, "devoid of any caring or understanding."

"Oh, go tell Val about it, I'm sure he'll give you the care you need," I retort before stepping into the elevator. 

As we begin our descent, Gianni glances towards me, the giggling dying down to a soft sigh. "So, where did you go two nights ago? Val came by my room yesterday and asked if I knew where you had disappeared to."

"I went to ImpTail. I needed to spend some time outside the tower," I answer.

"But we spent all day outside the tower," he remarks, "Didn't we?"

I sigh softly and tilt my head from side to side as we step out into the lobby. "I was feeling a little couped up in my room, so I needed to go somewhere and do something on my own."

"Ah... Strange..." Gianni remarks as we stride out to First Ring, taking a left this time and walking through the doors of a cafe. "Typically I can only unwind in my room or with a friend."

I shrug yet again as we take a seat at a booth. "I don't really know. I guess it changes like you change outfits for me." I chuckle softly as Gianni seems to ponder my statement intently. 

"I change outfits just as often as anybody does," he concludes, giving me a confused expression. 

I look his outfit up and down, ogling at his choice of wide pressed pants and a draped canvas top. "Well... but when you change outfits, you... you really change outfits."

"Ah! Yes, I understand!" Gianni exclaims vibrantly, "You must forgive me for being quaint this morning.. It is a bit early even for me." 

I chuckle and nod understandingly. "So, you mentioned meeting some people today?" I ask, that being the reason we were meeting up so early this morning.

"Yes, yes. I just wanted you to get some time out in the city before you spend more time with Val and get to know a couple other people at the tower," Gianni says as a woman comes by with an appetizing spread of breakfast pastries and a mug of coffee for each of us, "When you and I went to the square yesterday, you seemed a little more... free outside of the tower. I figured you'd want to talk here rather than inside."

"I appreciate that, Gio," I say, rubbing his shoulder, "but don't feel like you have to get up so early just so we have time to grab coffee. I can handle myself."

"Sure," Gianni says with a hint of snark in his voice, "But I'd rather talk to you while you're at ease. Also, the coffee at the tower is... quite sterile in my opinion."

"Long as you're not stressing yourself, Gio," I say, sipping from my mug as Gianni takes a bite out of a panini. "They serve Brooklyn blends at the tower... This tastes like Aegean bean to me."

"Precisely. A little smoother. More earthy. I can't stand American coffee," Gianni says, waving his hand about like a dame on the drama bench. 

"I must admit, this is much more my taste," I reply, taking a larger sip and soon finishing off the whole mug. "Okay, shall we head back?"

"Yes! I've already payed, so we can get going whenever," Gianni says, stretching as he stands to join me at the door. "Thanks for joining me, Eris."

"Oh shut up, like I was ever gonna say no," I retort, following him back to the tower.

Predictably, Valentino was waiting for us in the lobby when we arrived, drawing the attention of onlookers as he greeted us when we entered. "Eris dear~ how was breakfast~?" he asks, his tone even more ostentatious than I remember.

"It was delightful," I reply, fixing a smile to my face as Gianni also straightens up a bit.

"Splendid~" Valentino strides up to me and takes my hand, his other hand resting on my waist as he leads me towards the elevators. "Now that you seem a little more settled around here, I thought it would be a good time for you to.. shall we say... expand your social circles a bit~ Gianni and you are getting along well, but only having one outlet isn't sustainable~ would you agree, Eris?"

I pause and look at Gianni, all three of us now in the elevator. "Gianni's a great friend. He doesn't leave me wanting, but I'm excited to meet some of the others too," I reply, giving Gianni a gentle smile. 

"I couldn't agree more~" Valentino hisses, releasing my waist and hand, "They're waiting for us in my lounge. I hope you get along with them well~"

I nod softly, then follow him out of the elevator and into the lounge, where four or five others are reclining and making small talk. The white noise of the room trails off as we enter the room, Gianni tapping my shoulder before heading over to sit on a particularly fluffy-looking chair. 

"So, as you may have heard, there is a new prospective member of our staff living here with us. You may have seen him with Gianni, or coming back from a night on the town~ Everyone~ This is Eris Apollo~ please.. make him feel welcome~" 

And with that, Valentino takes his leave from the room, going back to the elevator and waving a somewhat minimalist farewell as he retreats to the upper half of the penthouse. 

I don't move for a bit, my eyes glued on the door where Valentino had just taken his exit, until a voice from right behind me breaks my focus. 

"Hellooooo! It's been a while since anyone new's been around!"

I turn around sharply, seeing two small ears flicking up as I do. I look down, my eyes coming to rest on a short, mildly wide set girl with her hand outstretched. The small Sugar Glider smiles at me as I shake her hand gently. Her grip is surprisingly strong for someone of her stature, and I can't help but smile as she beams her cheeks at me. 

"My name's Sugar, and you were... Eris?" She asks, opening her eyes and raising an eyebrow at me. 

"Yep! Eris Apollo," I begin, "Pleased to meet you, Sugar~" 

"Likewise, I hope you fit in well here," she says before turning to a bat demon who was stood next to her. 

"Hey there, Eris. Name's Dusk. Welcome aboard," he says, giving my back a hefty pat before beginning to walk me over towards one of the couches in the middle of the room and sitting me down. 

"So, how'd you end up in Val's sights, eh?" he asks easily, maintaining respectful eye contact the whole time. 

"Honestly, I don't know. He just kinda pulled up and... did Val things," I respond, coaxing a chuckle out of Dusk as well as a canine sitting in a chair of his own.

"Did Val things... that sounds about right to me. You're hot, that's why you're here, kid," the canine half says, half grunts to me.

"And what's your name?" I ask, raising an eyebrow and letting myself sit back against the couch.

"Cody," he snaps shortly, "I think you and I are gonna be working together a lot. Lookin forward to it... Been a while since we've had something fresh around here."

I could feel the energy in the room shift as he finished talking. A rather large motion on the couch across from me catching my attention and drawing my gaze over to the person who created that movement. My eyes settle on two large wings, then on the person with those wings as she moves to take a seat next to me. 

"Cody won't be working with you anytime soon. Name's Opal. It truly is lovely to have another pretty face around here. Consider yourself welcome." The butterfly smiles at me, lifting her wrist up towards my lips with a soft wink. I smile softly and take her hand, planting a kiss just below the knuckle of her middle finger. 

"Thank you, Opal," I say, letting her slowly pull her hand back to herself. 

"Yeah, don't be shy to ask anything you need to know," Dusk says, giving my back another firm smack as Sugar nods softly, moving from the seat to sit on the floor as Cody continues to give me unsettling glances, only to be stared down by Opal. 

After answering a few too many questions about my arrival in the Pentagram, everybody started to settle into their own conversations, with Opal and Gianni keeping Cody occupied while Sugar and Dusk huddle close together on one of the couches. I could have sworn there was someone else in the room when I came in, but I couldn't make them out at the moment. 

Amid the scattered bustling of the room, I could overhear Opal scolding Cody. She mentioned Val's instructions to make me feel welcome, imploring him to at least pretend to not be a classless scumbag. I knew she was coming to my defense, but I couldn't help but let my brain wander. And, as my brain wanders, I found myself standing up and waving softly before heading out of the room. I walk lazily to my room, unlocking my door and taking my spot on the window seat, thinking idly to myself about whether I should head to ImpTails again. I trace small figures on the windowsill with my finger, caught up in questions about whether the others were actually happy I was around, or if Val's instructions were the reasons for their actions. I didn't have much time to explore those thoughts, the sound of a voice in my room very quickly snapping me out of my stasis. 

"Eris. You doin' aight?"

I spin around, coming face to face with the tall figure I had seen the night of my first meeting with Val. "Y-yeah! I'm fine... How did you get in here?"

"You left your door open, toots," he says, sitting on the edge of my bed and giving me a dry chuckle, "and the way you left the lounge didn't exude satisfaction. I figured I'd at least stop by."

I can only muster a nod in response, turning my body to face him and standing up from my perch at the window seat. "Pardon me, but I don't remember getting your name," I say, one hand lifting up to scratch sheepishly behind my ear.

"It's Anthony," he begins, "but most people around here call me Angel Dust." He sweeps his eyes over me, then gives his head a soft flick, motioning for me to move a little closer.

I move from the window-seat to the bed without much pause, sitting down next to the tall, slender spider. "Now that I think about it, I don't remember getting a look at you in the lounge, Angel," I say, creasing my brow as I think back to my first few minutes in that room. "What'd ya find a dark corner to spin a web in where I couldn't see ya?"

"I was there... I just didn't feel like it was the best of times to make a first impression," he says almost dismissively, falling back onto the bed with a nonchalant sigh, "So yeah, I spun a bit of a web for myself," He adds, glancing at me as a smile sneaks onto one corner of his mouth.

"Was it Cody?" I ask, letting a small smile sneak onto my face as his aloof facade cracks slightly, "Because it sure as hell wasn't me. I'm too pretty to make you nervous." He sighs and shoots me a grin, chuckling lowly.

"You don't wanna know the dirt I have on that motherfucker. Don't worry your pretty little face too much, nymph. You won't be working with him. Val doesn't even put me on jobs with him," he says, finishing with a hollow chuckle before returning his gaze to my face. 

I chuckle with him, then sigh and lay myself down next to him before speaking, "That whole fucking situation felt as forced as Val's smile."

"Yeah, Val's just about as good at handling those kinds of things as Gianni is at shutting up, or you are at holding a conversation," he says, letting out a more rich and hearty chuckle, "The only one who might be putting a mask on is Sugar. You'd have to ask Dusk about her, and he's not one for gossip with anyone but her anyways. Now Opal... Opal's a godsend! If you have an excuse to spend time with her, or even if you don't, just give her door a knock."

"Since you're so good at holding conversations, like you did in the lounge, why don't you elaborate on your excuse for coming here?" I inquire, leaning in a bit and lifting my eyebrows as high as I can, my lips curling in a smug, cheeky grin. 

"Why the fuck would I need one when you left looking all despondent?" he asks, rolling to face towards me. 

"Eh, people moved on... started talking about their own stuff. My mind started to wander, and I just kinda left." I shrug, looking up at the ceiling as another soft gust of air passes my lips.

"Listen, Eris. Um... There is a reason I came here, besides to, ya know, make sure we got introduced so Val doesn't wring my neck. Something's been on my mind for a bit... And I'm sure you might be putting the pieces together, but..."

"I know you were the one in the limo with me... Your voice has... stuck with me ever since," I say, something inside me knowing this was what he was referencing. I look at him intently, his expression remaining hesitant. There was something I was missing.

"Wait. Did you..? Did you tell Val about me?" I ask, my voice catching softly as my brain locks in on that slender figure I had seen get into the car before Val made his appearance. 

He sighs softly and turns his gaze to the ceiling, his tone becoming slightly frantic and defensive as he sits up straight. "There's... something about the sight of you trying to breathe that fucked up my judgement big time! I kinda just... blanked and did something! I-Im sorry. You wouldn't be having to make this choice if I had just-"

I surge forward and throw my arms around Angel's torso, clinging to him as I feel my eyes well up slightly. 

Angel glances around the room rapidly, then looks down to me. "H-hey kid... uhh... listen um..." He pauses, then sighs and wraps his lower set of arms around my back, abandoning his frantic mindset. "God, you're a fuckin' wreck, ain't ya?" he says, letting himself smile as one of his hands moves to lightly rub against the back of my head. 

I slowly lift my head and pull away, wiping my eyes. "Sorry, I just... You... Thanks for doing something... At least I still have a choice."

"No really... Don't thank me.. It was.. it was an impulsive decision, really..." he says, sighing and looking around as he slides his hair back with one hand, "I just had this feeling that I had to do something. That's all that came to mind."

I smile a bit and lay down next to him, one arm laying over his chest with my head resting near his shoulder. I didn't say anything, letting my actions speak for themselves.

A loud, dramatic sigh erupts from the spider. "Alright, you needy little shit... I won't leave. Don't make this a habit, got it?" he barks, failing to hold back a smile.

I don't respond, only pulling myself closer to him and letting out a soft cooing sound. 

"You know what? Forget I said anything," he says, slowly hooking his arm around my shoulders and holding me against him. 

My eyes close, and for the first time in a while, sleep takes my hand as soon as I reach out for it.

From the sound of it, Angel found sleep easily too. 


	8. A Dead Straight Line

  
As delightful as sleep is, there are few things more delightful than waking up with your face resting against a warm, soft, fluffy pillow.

My eyes open fully and I let out a drowsy grunt, my shoulders rolling up and about as my ears slowly detach themselves from the side of my head, swiveling into a more active position, coaxing a soft, breathy chuckle from Angel.

I feel a hand move to my shoulder, and my eyes wander up to meet his. All the while, I refuse to move my head from that heavenly position.

"Mornin' sleepyhead," Angie teases, lifting an eyebrow, "For a second there I thought you had kicked the bucket."

I let out a dry and coarse giggle, taking in a deep breath and releasing a yawn before responding. "Mmmn... How long have you been awake?" I ask, blinking the dryness out of my eyes.

"Not long, but more than long enough to get jealous of you," he replies, eyeing me intently with a snarky grin.

"What? You never had a pillow as soft as your own bust before?" I chide, rubbing my cheek deeper into his tuft.

"Oh I've had it before... Just never was given the time to enjoy it," he says matter-of-factly, his eyes breaking contact with mine for a second before connecting again. "Never got to wake up to it, tho."

"What can I say?" I say, smiling at the spider, "Luck can get you great places!"

Angie chuckles in amusement, glancing around the room before refocusing on me. "So... You got what, two days left until you gotta make that big ol' decision?"

My ears poke straight up before falling again, my eyes falling with them. "Yeah... I've been trying not to think about it too much, but I can't get to sleep without getting all caught up in it! It's more obnoxious than anything."

Angie's lingering smirk softens, his thumb idly rubbing my shoulder as I feel my eyes lose their focus slightly, my mind letting a few thoughts begin racing by before I realize I've begun to spiral again. I quickly shake my head and blink a few times to snap out of my funk, consequently moving my head from atop Angel's soft chest.

"Seems like it's givin' ya a decent amount'a trouble," Angel says, moving his hand from my shoulder and sitting up, folding his lower pair of arms in his lap and combing the fingers of his upper pair through his now matted chest tuft.

I bite my lip and let out a small sigh, my shoulders hunching as I huddle myself up. A palpably awkward silence develops, broken abruptly by Angel's brash tone.

"So, ya gonna start talkin' about it, or am I gonna have to worry about it on my own time?" he asks in a knowing, almost demanding tone.

"To be honest, I just don't know how I feel about any of it. Val rubs me the wrong way-"

"But he's powerful, and seems to have what you'd need to live comfortably?" Angie quips, his brow furrowing noticeably as he stares intently at his nails, fidgeting with them restlessly.

"Yeah.. I know it's toxic.. and I know it isn't fair. I just don't know how to survive out there on my own... I've only been here a few days..."

"Luck can get ya great places, can't it, Eris?" Angel says, an expression much like a smile spreading across his face.

A dry, wry chuckle breaks free from my lips, a half smile forcing itself to my face. Angie follows suit, egging my paradoxical bubbliness on. I give into the nervous chuckles and let my shoulders relax. "Couldn't a' said it better myself," I respond, letting another wave of chuckles push through before letting out a sigh.

Another wave of stillness follows, Angie's chuckles also ending with a resigned sigh.

"If you were me, what would you do, Angie?" I ask, placing my hands together and shifting back and forth as I look at him.

Angel turns his gaze back to his fingernails for a bit, letting out a lengthy sigh before biting his lower lip and turning his whole upper body to face me.

"You know he wants to own you, right?"

I respond with a nod. "I just don't know if I really have another option."

Angie thinks long and hard, shrugging to himself several times.

"I'd say get out while you still can... Maybe ya get killed, but at least you ain't trapped here till hell boils over. And at least it ain't by Val."

"You think I should say no?"

Another pause.

"How long have you been here, Angel?" I ask, looking at him unwaveringly.

Angel, sighs silently and looks to me drearily. "Almost seventy years. And as much as this place is toxic, I don't know how I would have survived without Val either."

"If you were me..." I prod, my chest tightening slightly.

"If I were you, I'd think about it long and hard," he says before standing up and motioning me to follow suit, "Ya know, I had meant for this mornin' to be a fresh start, so to speak. But you went and made it difficult."

"I didn't hear you complainin'."

"I've gotten good at keeping quiet," he says, winking suggestively.

"Might wanna work on that fidgeting next, then," I respond, giving my fingernails an exaggerated examining.

"Why ya lookin at me so closely, kiddo? You catchin' feels?"

"Hey, you're the one who gave me a massage while I was blindfolded. Didn't even take me out to dinner! How rude."

"Gee, sorry for helping you out, bird chest."

"I ain't mad you helped me out, ya just did it a little too well~"

"You know I always give my best~"

"God damn right~"

Angie and I smile at each other, both breathing deeply but not really feeling the need to continue the banter. My smile softens, only to spread back across my face. He did mention he wanted a fresh start.

"My name's Eris, Eris Apollo. What's yours?" I ask, extending a hand with a playful wink.

"The name's Anthony. Most people around here call me Angel Dust. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." He reaches out and takes my hand, gripping it firmly.

"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. Mind if I call you Tony?" I ask, letting go of the handshake.

"Eh, stick to Angie or Angel for now... Wouldn't be a great look if you called me Tony in front of the others. Capiche?"

"Dusty it is, then!" I exclaim joyously, "Or Orchid! Take your pick."

Angie's face brightens up, and then his hand lightly smacks against it in a brutal facepalm. "Ya know what? Call me whatevah the fuck ya want!"

I chuckle to myself. "Whatever you say, Dusty."

Angie strides towards my closet, waving an arm dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, fuck off, lacky."

I follow him into the closet, closing the door behind me and getting to work on an outfit.

"Now that I think about it, you never mentioned where you were from," Angel says, sliding a light colored top over himself before pulling up some slim pants and a sash.

"What do you mean?" I ask as my head pokes through the top of my shirt.

"Like.. are ya Asian? Hispanic? European? South African? Where ya from?"

I pause, my ears pinning back in contemplation. "I don't really know. You?"

"I'm from Brooklyn. Wall Street, more specifically. My family's from Italy. Costra Nova types, if that means anything to ya," he says simply, tossing me a choker and a few other ornaments.

I stare at him blankly, earning an exasperated chuckle.

"I'll tell ya later, ya clueless wreck. I wanna know where you're from."

I pause again. "Well... Where do I look like I'm from."

"If I could trust complexion down here, I'd say you're from my neck of the woods. Maybe south Mediterranean. Egyptian, or something like that. That Apollo part of your name seems to match up too..."

"Ένα το Ελληνικό," I say without a second thought before widening my eyes slightly.

"The fuck did you just say?" Angel asks, looking just as perplexed as me.

"Greece. I'm from Greece. I'm Greek," I stammer, scratching my head sheepishly as I look up at the tall spider.

Angel draws in a sharp breath through his nose before dragging his hand down his face and chuckling dryly.

"I shouldn't have fuckin' asked," he says through his fingers before giving me a big, toothy grin.

I let out a small giggle and crack my neck, heading over to the vanity to brush my hair out before following Angel out of the room.

"Well... What's on the agenda today?" I ask, having to take longer strides than normal to keep up with the tall spider.

"Well. I actually hadn't thought that far ahead.. Breakfast? I got all day, so we can basically do whatever."

His pace slows a bit, as if he hadn't realized his day was open until he heard himself say it. I catch up to him and match his pace.

"Doesn't sound like that happens a lot around here, huh?" I ask nervously.

"Eh. Most shoots happen in the middle of the day... So as much as the hours aren't awful, it definitely takes up a decent amount of the day.. Not too many days off, either," he responds, lagging behind me a bit as he thinks to himself.

We step into the elevator and head to the lobby. I could see Angel's eyes take on a more stern and confident air, as if he was preparing himself for something. "Get ready, kiddo... You're walking around with me, so prepare for the hoards."

I let out a long sigh, cracking my neck and putting a bright, clear air on my face as well. "Breakfast better be worth it."

Angel chuckles at me and ruffles my hair gently, taking care not to make the curls turn to frizz.

"Just take the same path you took here. A dead straight line. I'll be right behind ya~" he says, maintaining a snarky tone but coming off as comforting anyways.

"Just like when I was on the way here?" I ask, my facade faltering momentarily.

"Maybe not that close, but.. go with that if you gotta," he says, winking as the elevator slows.

I put my figurative mask back on as the doors open, and step out into the lobby.

It wasn't instantaneous, but as we stepped out, standing hip to hip, the mood in the room changed. Some looked at us with amusement, some with scorn, and some with a piercing sense of envy. By this point, word of my presence had circulated enough for people to understand I was someone of note, and me being beside the studio's most successful prospect made it clear to those who weren't in the know.

The path to the VIP booths wasn't more than a hundred feet long, and yet, as we began to make our way towards it, I noticed a couple people approaching. I kept my eyes off them, not allowing them time to establish conversation before we move past them.

Angel looks towards me and smiles vexingly. "You gettin' used to bein' around here, kiddo? I heard your first day down here wasn't too fuckin' pleasant."

"Eh! What can I say? Bein' here's a nice change of pace from having my ribcage cinched shut all the fuckin' time. Have a good time last night?" I ask, giving him a wink.

"Ya didn't do half bad, toots. Lookin' forward to havin' you around."

I let my hips swing just a little extra as we breach the plane of the VIP curtain, striding to a booth in the mostly empty room. Angel smiles softly and loosens his facade, not letting it slide away completely, but seeming slightly more at ease.

A well dressed waiter strolls up to us, earning a smile from Angel.

"Ah! Luca! Ain't caught a glimpse of you in a bit. How ya been?" Angel says, turning his head to face the feathered waiter.

"Just been handlin' a couple things. I'm sure yer pickin' up what I'm dealin' out. Who's the spider got webbed up?" he responds, looking to me.

"Oh, this kiddo? This is Eris. He might be joining the... 'family'" Angel says, making two sets of very heavy quotes before leaning back in the chair, "this lil' guy somehow managed to stumble his way in here his first night in the Pentagram.. He ain't been here a week and somehow got me to spend the night in his room too. We're takin' the day to see if we mesh well."

"It ain't like ya to get curious about new prospects, puttana. You've always been the 'come' and go type, 's far as I know," Luca chirps, giving me a fleeting glance.

"Vafancullo, cervello do uccello. We ain't plannin' on fuckin' or anything. Might be why I'm intrigued."

"Oh, enough with the blabber. What can I get these two breeding holes to eat?" The bird chides, making sure to give us both snide glances.

"You got any pigeon on the menu today? Heard they're fairly tasty~" I suddenly fire off, grinning and pinning my ears back slightly as I look at the now befuddled avian, "if not, I'll take a lamb scramble."

"Lamb scramble it'll be then. And you, eight legged one?" He says, his husky voice catching a couple times as Angel stifles a laugh.

"I'll have some risotto. We'll split both of 'em. You sure there's no pigeon?" Angel says, joining me in eyeing the street bird hungrily.

"I'll bring that right out for ya. Didn't know the new kid was gonna have that much spunk. Good ta see ya..."

As he leaves, Angel and I share a silent laugh. "He seems nice," I say coyly, dropping the smile for an inquisitive expression.

"He's a stand up guy. Little insecure, but he don't mean to offend. I think he likes ya."

"Guess that's good to hear," I say again, my thoughts returning to the conversation we had before.

"It really has only been a week or so, hasn't it?" I ask, breaking the silence.

Angel shakes his head and chuckles slightly, "I can't believe it either. You sure know how to trip and fall right into the least likely places, don't ya?"

"Guess it's a gift," I say with a shrug as Luca comes back with our food, a couple of mimosas being set in front of us as well.

"Name's Luca. Pleasure to meet you Eris," he says, extending a feathered hand. 

"Likewise. Thanks for being a good sport about the whole pigeon thing," I say, shaking his hand.

"No problem. Caught me off guard, that's for sure. How'd someone like you wind up in this place?"

"Well... I guess I only know one way to get places. A dead straight line."


	9. In Decision

Much like yesterday with Gianni, the actual time it took to eat breakfast seemed to hurry past us, both the spider and I waving to Luca before we take our leave, walking back into the fray of the lobby to again content with who Angel called "The Hoard."

They didn't seem quite as interested this time, as if knowing we had no interest and not wanting to stand out as needy or annoying. There were still a few who's eyes lingered, but not for too long.

This time, it was Angel's turn to be unsure.

"So... Where to, kiddo?" he asks, walking just a step or so behind me as we slowly make our way towards the revolving doors. I manage a slight shrug and push my way out of the tower, Angel following very shortly after.

I nudge my hat back slightly and trot down the stairs, pausing at the bottom of them so I could wait for Angel to catch up. The spider does so rather quickly, standing next to me before turning to face me with an eyebrow raised. I return his gaze and place a hand on my hip.

"I ain't the one who's been 'ere seventy years. Where do you normally go on your days off?" I ask, gripping the brim of my hat as a small gust of wind begins to tip it back.

"Normally, I'd head to Cherri's house. I'll head there even if I don't have a day off sometimes," he responds, glancing at his phone briefly before tucking it back in his blazer pocket, "She ain't home today, though, and it ain't like I know you well enough to be havin' ya get all cozy with the BFF. Y'get me?."

"Figured as much," I concede, letting the hand that was holding the brim of my hat fall loosely to my side before bringing it up to rest on my other hip. "Ain't any other places?"

"There's ImpTail, but I ain't been there since Luca started working for the Studio Hotel instead of that place," he says, seeming hesitant to give a straight answer, "I'm sure the new barkeep is good, but it ain't the ImpTail I know without bird brain servin' the drinks."

"Makes sense. I can vouch for the new barman, though," I respond dryly again, before leaning in and continuing in a pleading tone, "Are you sure there ain't any other spots you like to spend your off time?"

Angel rolls his eyes before focusing them squarely on mine. "There's a little road that I wouldn't mind walking down right now. Not necessarily a place to hang out, but it kinda reminds me of where I would walk when I needed some time away from home," he says before recoiling a little bit, obviously not keen on elaborating further. "We could head there if you want, I guess," he says, scratching the back of his head and turning his gaze away from me.

"That don't sound bad. I ain't ever just up and taken a stroll here before. Only ever walk to get from one place to another down here," I say bluntly, relaxing my arms and letting one corner of my mouth curl up in a smirk. "Lead the way, Dusty."

Angel straightens up a bit and walks past me, winking and tracing his finger down my jawline to my chin provocatively.

"Can't remember the last time someone told me that," he says as I begin to follow him, "But I think I like it coming from you."

"Ya don't have to make it awkward, ya know," I chirp back, rolling my eyes and trotting up to join Angel, "But by all means, don't stop on my accord."

"Oh, lighten up, nymph. If you're fallin' head over heels for me, just tell me," he teases, sliding an arm around my shoulders playfully.

"I'll be honest with you if you're honest with me, πουρνι~" I shoot back, sliding a hand up to his other side, only to dig my fingers under his ribs, making him squirm slightly and release me.

"Ow! Damn! You're quite the little devil, ain't ya, nymph?" Angel coos before ruffling my hair a bit.

"Sorry," I sneer, "Your chest seemed a little tight. Figured I'd help ya loosen it up."

Angel slumps dramatically, giving me a dead stare before flinging an eyebrow up, which I answer with a raised brow of my own. Eventually, he slinks up to me and continues leading the way down Star Point Boulevard all the way to Third Circle. We hang a left and walk down the road a bit before looking down another street to our right. Unlike most of the other streets I had seen, this one didn't seem to head all the way to the clock-tower and studio, but to a structure reminiscent of the Chrysler building. I glance over at Angel, who slowly looks over at me.

"This the spot?" I ask, looking back down the somewhat understated avenue.

He cracks a soft smile, then looks back at me and says, "Yep. You really wanted me to pick where we were hangin', so here's where you get."

"At least it wasn't luck this time, huh, Dusty?" I ask, taking a few steps and nodding for him to follow along. After a couple seconds, he takes a couple steps up to me and matches my gait as we begin our trek down Renaissance Lane.

I place my hands in the pockets of my top, letting my body relax into a light stroll. The early afternoon slowly fades into the evening, and we approach the large building.

"Is there anything here?" I ask, craning my neck to look up at the deceptively tall building.

"You're looking at it, kiddo," Angel responds playfully, "I think it's still operational in some sense. It just reminds me of a street in Brooklyn."

"I can see why," I say, looking over at Angel and smiling a little bit, "Maybe there'll be a place in the city that reminds me of home too."

Angel looks at me, slowly letting his lips curl into a smile. "Maybe," he says, before pausing and letting his eyes drift around a bit, his voice catching in his throat. "Ya know, maybe it ain't so bad to not remember. Could help ya focus on keeping yourself going down here instead of tryin' to crawl your way back to what happened before you got tossed of the cliff of damnation."

My eyebrows lift up a little bit as I look at him more intently, my lips hesitating to open. "What do you mean?"

"Ya never know. Maybe it ain't any better than bein' down here," he says, his eyes only managing to return my gaze for short spans of time before they fell back to the asphalt or his hands.

"Maybe," I concede, taking in a deep breath and letting out a slow sigh, looking back up at the large building before me. "But I'd rather know than not, ya know?"

"I woulda said the same thing if I were in your shoes. Call me an old fart, but sometimes, it might be better to let sleeping dogs lie," he says, beginning to walk back towards the tower.

"I just wanna know if there is a dog, sleeping or not," I say, trailing behind Angel just a bit as he glances back at me from time to time, "I don't really care why he's sleeping or where. I just... I can't even recall anything from before I saw that red cloud and opened my eyes." The air around me loses some of the warmth it had before, and I lightly huddle my arms around myself, shaking the thoughts away and looking up from the pavement to see Angel standing in front of me, both eyebrows hanging lower than usual.

"Listen, toots. You'll have time to worry about your natural life later," he says, opening his arms slightly, as if he knew I was about to lightly let my head rest against his chest. "You're so easy to read, Eris. You gotta work on that, short stack."

I chuckle a bit and pull away, cracking my neck and taking in a deep, slightly painful breath. "I'm sorry. I'm a wreck, just like you said."

"Right now," he says, keeping me from ruminating any more, "you gotta focus on making that choice. You getting anywhere on that, kiddo?"

I sigh a bit and follow Angel as he begins to walk back out towards Third Circle. "Where is there to get?" I muse, chuckling nervously, "Neither choice is fair. I just have to decide, don't I?"

"Well... No matter what you choose, it ain't gonna be between seeing me and not seeing me. I ain't gonna lie, you've found a little corner of my head for yourself, nymph," he admits nonchalantly, glancing about our surroundings absent-mindedly.

"Heh, my turn to spin a little web this time, Dusty?" I inquire coyly, nudging him a bit with my hip.

"Perhaps, nymph," he says, adding some extra emphasis to that last word as we finally reach Third Circle.

I chuckle, sharing a slight moment of carelessness until I notice Angel stiffen up. I look to my left, the purring of a car engine sending a breath-halting chill down my spine.

There was no synthcore music to compete with Valentino's voice this time, not that it would have mattered.

"And here I thought Eris needed some time to get settled in~ Forget this, precious?" he coos, holding up my phone and tossing it to me.

"Y-yes Val! S-sorry," I say, catching it and seeing a flurry of missed messages from Valentino.

"We were overdue for a little chat, Sunshine~" he coos, his smile almost looking painful to maintain, like he was holding back an unholy surge of rage. "I've been waiting in my lounge all day for you to show up. But where are you? Out on the town on Angel's day off."

He pauses, the sound of that sentence seeming to connect the dots in his smooth, overdressed head.

"Just keep the phone handy, nymph~ and when you get back to the studio, let's have a chat, unless you'd rather get a lift from me. It is an awful long walk at this time of night. Angel knows all about that, don't you?~" he hisses, his eyes narrowing at the spider.

"Yeah. We should probably take the limo back, Eris," Angel says, all traces of relaxation and ease abandoning his face.

Every time Valentino showed up outside the tower, it was as if he could see every catch 22 opportunity and seek it out like some kind of manipulative bloodhound. It was sickening, but no matter how easily I could see through it, his option was always a necessity. It was always the only option. Even if you said no to the limo ride, you would end up back at the studio one way or another. It was only a matter of time, and money.

But really, what's the difference with him?

Angel leads the way, giving me the closest thing to a reassuring smile he can muster as Valentino seats him at his right side and pulls me around to his left.

"Well now. Do you want to talk here, or wait until we get back to the Studio, Sunshine~?" Valentino asks as the door closes and the limo begins to cruise in the direction of the studio.

"Let's get it over with. What do you want?" I say, wanting to keep the conversation simple and direct.

"Your deadline is tomorrow, Eris. We're long overdue for a check-in, wouldn't you say~?" he says, draping an arm around my shoulders. "As much as you are lovely to look at, I'd rather not keep you around until tomorrow if you've already decided you don't want to be a part of this big family. It wouldn't make much sense, now would it, gorgeous?" He slides his other hand up around my waist, pulling me slightly closer to him. "Anything to report, Sunshine~?"

I let out a sigh. "I've been thinking as hard as I can. I still haven't quite decided yet. I'll... I'll have my decision for you before tomorrow ends."

"Look around you, Eris~" Valentino hisses lowly. I don't move much, and then feel his thumb and forefinger hook around my chin to pull my face to the window.

"Look... Around you... Eris..."

I refuse to wince, but scan the limo's surroundings with my plum-colored eyes.

"I know you've been outside the studio a few times, but I don't think you've seen this before. Have you, Sunshine?" he says, continuing to hold my face against the glass of the window.

As the street lights and parking meters pass, so do the silhouettes of sinners. Some standing on corners waving at passerby. Sometimes, the passerby would oblige, and sometimes, they would oblige a little too enthusiastically. I try to look away, but Val keeps me looking.

"You know the saddest thing, little sun?" he asks, leaning in to whisper in my ear, "They were all pretty once. Once upon a time, before they thought Hell would treat them fairly."

I grit my teeth in my mouth, letting his words pass in one ear and out the other. "And you're better how?" I ask, again surprising myself with the steadiness of my voice, "Because right now, you're not helping your case."

Valentino smirks and releases my face, keeping his hands around my shoulders and on my waist.

"I never said I was any better, precious," Valentino says, his voice pouring from his jaws like poisoned honey. "But I can, and will, keep you safe."

"If he does as you say, and meets quotas, and stays at the studio," Angel says, drawing Val's attention away from me for a second, "If you said you were any better, you'd be a straight up liar. At least make sure he knows what he's getting int-"

"Did I ask for your thoughts, Angelcakes?" Val growls out, fixing his eyes on Angel.

"No, but Eris did," Angel says, his wide eyes making it clear he wasn't feigning indignance.

"I suppose you're right. It's only fair you know what you're getting yourself into, right Sunshine?" Val concedes, turning again to face me.

"I know what I'm getting into," I say softly, but steadily, "I just need a little more time to consider."

Val releases me from his grip, eyeing me with a fierce glare before his expression softens. He reaches up to his face, removing his glasses and placing them in a holder behind the headrest, folding his arms in front of him and letting his face fade back to a resting grin.

"I guess it's only fair I accept that. You weren't fit to make decisions that night when Angel here found you. That being said, don't play me for a fool. You will either work for me, or I won't be seeing you at the tower again. You'll either be mine, or gone by the time tomorrow ends. My patience and pity do have low caps, Sunshine~ I'm sure you're already aware."

I nod slightly and lift my chin to look straight forward. Angel keeps his eyes low, his nails keeping his attention as Val slips his shades back on and slides his arms back around me and the spider.

"Oh, and if you leave, you won't be keeping that phone," he says, lifting his shades and looking at me. "So sorry, I forgot to mention that. How rude of me."

"No need to mention it," I say, "I understand your terms loud and clear." I turn to look at him, my face refusing to settle on any one expression. Before long, the limo pulls into the garage, and Valentino waves Angel out. Angel hesitates, then leaves the limo, joining a relieved, yet frantic Gianni outside.

The stillness of the air stifles my breath, and his presence doesn't help one bit. The limo door closes, and Valentino sits on the limo seat.

"I'll be in my lounge. If you make your decision, come to me and let me know. Okay, sunshine?" he says, taking my hand and leading me a little closer by it.

"It will take some getting used to, but it would be difficult for me to see you leave. You've taken a lot of people's fancy while you're here. The work might not be lovely, but I can ensure your beauty doesn't go to waste."

He plants his lips on my hand, letting them linger for a time before withdrawing, smiling provocatively.

"Take your time, though, sunshine~ You've got all day~ just no longer.. No pressure~"

My eyes gloss over, my breath shaky and ineffective, reminding me of my first few hours in hell. I look out the window, my ears pinning back as Gianni and Angel look on, Angel's face already betraying resignation and Gianni's frantic concern and worry. I hadn't the time to get Angel's number in the phone, and contact with Gianni would also be lost.

In that moment, I felt the need to postpone the inevitable slowly slip away. I try to grab hold of it several times, only for the lingering threads to slip and pull through my sweaty hands. My nails once again find their homes in my palms. I force myself to take a long, smooth breath.

My eyes flick back up to Val, and the words flow slowly but steadily from my lips.

"I'll stay here, Val... I'll work for you."

I could feel the stillness in the air around me, before finally, Valentino's smooth voice washes over me. "Eris, love~ I am delighted you've made such a sensible decision~"

I feel one hand on each of my shoulders and one hand on each side of my hips. I dare not wriggle or pull away, not to avoid any retribution, but because I lack the dignity to attempt such an act.

"Congratulations, Eris, you've made it further than most sinners could ever say they have~~"

He pauses, then leans in and says, "We'll begin our work once the weekend is over. I look forward to your first day on the job, darling~"

"I'll be there, Val... Thanks for accepting me here..."

"Good," he hisses, "Now, I have to get my things in order before I head to the lounge. You should go ahead of me. Your friends seem worried about you~"


	10. Congratulations

My eyes widen, my chest constricting as Val's grin widens. Had I not been sitting, I would have fallen to my knees. There was only one thing to do.

Val guides me towards the door, and I command myself to step out of the limo and onto the concrete of the garage. I try to hold them back, but my eyes quickly fill up with tears.

I hear the hurried footsteps of Angel and Gianni getting closer, and had my chest not been locked up and spasming, I might have screamed for them to stay back.

"Eris," Angel's all too composed voice echoes from a place that seems distant and foreign, "What did he say?"

The fact he was trying to help only made it hurt more, my words finally spilling out.

"He... He didn't say anything... I'm sorry," I wheeze, looking at Angel.

"S-sorry for what?" Gianni inquires, his ears standing stiff and awkwardly atop his head.

"I-I promised... I promised I would think about it and talk to you... I..." I try to tell them, to rip the band aid off just as I thought my decision would do. Instead, my words leave my lips painfully, one millimeter at a time.

"I.. I said yes..."

I could feel Val's grin growing behind me from the door of the limo, Angel and Gianni falling completely silent, not even releasing sighs of frustration.

"Shall we welcome Eris to the family formally?" Val's deep voice says from behind me, his hands lifting me up.

Suddenly, Angel erupts in a violent outburst, screaming, "NO! VAL! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!! NOT NOW!!"

Angel's explosion snaps me out of my stasis, my lungs now working at a million miles per hour as Val grins at me, a tendril of smoke moving closer to my face. He grins, and my eyes widen. I look in his other hand. Inside it lays a golden, pointed tooth.

"N-no... NO! WAIT!" I scream, only to be shushed by Valentino. My legs kick, but his smoke quickly put that to an end.

"You know it's best to rip the band-aid off, Sunshine. Smile for me~ or you can look sad if you want. Your choice," he coos, the smoke pushing past my lips to encircle my canine. Then, it begins to pull.

Angel lurches forward, Gianni barely managing to keep him from making a mistake. I writhe and try to scream in pain, but the smoke has blocked my mouth.

The tension builds, and the tears stream down my cheeks incessantly, before finally, with an awful snapping and tearing sound, the tooth is pulled loose violently. The smoke retreats with the tooth, and a sound erupts from my throat, too violent and painful for me to name. Then I become quiet, only whimpering slightly as another tendril approaches me, holding the other tooth.

I turn my head back and forth a few times, but finally just let my jaw hang slack. Val smiles and takes hold of the gold tooth with his hand, cupping my cheek as he tenderly secures the new canine, his smile sickeningly comforting, as if he cared.

Smoke appears around his hand, and I feel my jawbone become cemented to the replacement tooth. The pain stays, but I can ignore that. I'm placed on my feet, where I stay long enough to turn around. I try to stay standing, to show Angie and Gianni that I can push through.

I feel the pavement hit my knees, then my head slump over Angel's shoulder, his body heaving with violently silent sobs.

"Angel, Gianni, do take the weekend to celebrate Eris' new position~ We will let the others know tomorrow, when Eris is more presentable, and work will start when Monday comes around."

A long pause follows, the silence violently crushing me from all sides.

"Well," Val encourages, "I'm not hearing much congratulating."

Gianni leans in and offers a soft and reassuring, "Congratulations," as Val strides into the tower. Angel's voice catches before finally releasing a pained and empty sound.

"Congratulations, nymph..."

I begin to weep, my sobs persisting even as Angie and Gianni help me into the elevator and guide me to my room. Gianni stays a while, but eventually apologizes and takes his leave. Angel gets up to leave at one point as well, saying something about leaving me in peace, but my fingers lock around his wrist.

"Aight, ya needy lil' shit. I'll stay," Angel says with a soft chuckle before pulling my head to his chest and squeezing me just a little too tightly, the pain in my jaw spiking. I push through it, refusing to let it overcome me, and finally manage to coerce myself into sleeping.

The next morning, I wake up to Angel stroking my ear drearily, the bags under his eyes making it apparent he hadn't slept well, if at all. His head stirs to look towards the door, where Gianni is waiting with a solemn, but reassuring look on his face.

"Val wants us in the lounge. Get yourself up there. It'll only take a few minutes. I've got outfits picked out for both of you already."

I slowly push myself off of Angel's chest, his arms reluctantly letting me leave, and haphazardly pull on my clothes and freshen up before making my way to the lounge with Angel in tow.

As I enter, I see Val's face beckoning me to the large windows on the side of the penthouse.

"Speaking of new faces~" he coos, waving me over. I follow, allowing him to hook his arms around my waist. He looks at me and grins, showing off his golden teeth. My eyes shut briefly, then open again. Soon after, I let a large, toothy smile spread across my olive skinned face, showing off the shiny proof of my commitment.

Valentino smiles and turns to address the lounge, "Let's all give a warm and enthusiastic welcome to the lovely Eris Apollo, our very own..."

He pauses, soaking in the silence before moving me in front of him and placing his hands on my shoulders and hips.

"Nymph of the Nine Circles!"


End file.
